• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.203-206
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• 2002

Metastatic carcinomas to the thyroid gland are rare, and thyroid involvement by secondary carcinomas commonly results from direct the extension of malignant cells from adjacent organs such as the larynx or the trachea. The common primary sites of thyroid metastasis are kidney, breast, lung, and lymphoid tissue. Among head and neck cancers, nasopharyngeal carcinoma has a relatively high incidence of distant metastases to other sites and commonly involving sites are bone, lung, and liver. Recently, we experienced a case of a 43-year-old male who had been presented with neck mass for 3 months. He was diagnosed non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma in 1993. And, thyroid metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was confirmed by total thyroidectomy. So we report this rare case with the review of literatures.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.11-15
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• 2015

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the features of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) recurred as distant metastases (DM). Materials and Method: We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed clinical records of 63 patients who were treated for PTC recurred as DM between 2000 and 2006. Univariate and multivariate analyses of various clinical factors were performed. Results: Male patients were 12, and female patients were 51. The 5- and 10-year survival rates for PTC recurred as DM were 85% and 73%, respectively. Size of tumor, multiplicity of tumor, lateral neck node metastasis, and RAI ablation therapy with other treatments such as surgery were associated with survival rate (p < 0.005) in univariate analysis. The lateral neck node metastasis[p =0.039, hazard ratio=2.2(95% CI. 1.18~3.24)] and multiple organ DM[p =0.041, hazard ratio=2.18(95% CI. 1.03~2.89)] were related to the survival in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: PTC recurred as DM is uncommon (2.2%). The size of tumor, the multiplicity of tumor, lateral neck node metastasis and RAI ablation therapy with other treatments for DM were revealed as associated factors for the survival. Evaluation of DM should be considered in patients with PTC during long-term follow-up.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 1993

A multivariate analysis of the prognostic factors and five year survival rate was carried out on a series of 72 thyroid cancers treated surgically from 1980 to 1987 and followed for 1 to 11 years. The prognosis of the disease was significantly influenced by age at diagnosis, extracapsular invasion, angioinvasion and pathologic type, but the disease was not influenced by sex, lymph node metastasis, and 'risk' category. The overall five year survival rate was 89.7%. Six patients were dead of tumor after surviving for six months to two and half years, and the cause of death was local recurrence in three, lung metastasis in two and bone metastasis in one patient. Five year survival rate in age above fifty, presence of capsule and angioinvasion, follicular carcinoma, and extrathyroidal lesion was significantly shorter than that of patients with age below fifty, absence of capsule and angioinvasion, papillary carcinoma, and intrathyroidal lesion. Patients at low risk or with small carcinomas had long survival over 5 years with only lobectomy. Lymph node dissection was done with a limited type in no jugular metastasis, radical neck disscetion was performed only therapeutically in proved jugular node metastasis. Thyroid hormone was administered for the period of 3 to 5 years to suppress endogenous TSH production.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.142-147
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• 2003

Purpose: Accurate evaluation of metastatic cervical lymph nodes plays a decisive role in the treatment and prognosis of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The purpose of this study is to investigate the usefulness of FDG-PET for diagnosis of cervical metastasis in the head and neck cancer by comparing with the conventional imaging study. Materials and Methods: The subjects on this study were 30 patients (24 males and 6 females, aged 39 to 76, mean 57.1) diagnosed as pathologic-proven squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. All patients underwent preoperative FDG-PET, CT(n=27) or MRI (n=3). Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Using pathologic reports as a golden standard, the results of FDG-PET were compared with conventional imaging study (CT/MRI) in the evaluation of cervical metastasis. Results: Thirty patients had five different primary sites which were tongue (11), supraglottis (10), glottis (6), hypopharynx (2) and tonsil (1). A total of 40 neck dissections were performed unilaterally in 20 patients and bilaterally in 10 patients. Of these, 16 showed pathologically positive for lymph node metastasis. The sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET for the diagnosis of cervical metastasis was 75% and 100% respectively, compared with conventional imaging of 56.3% and 95.8%, respectively. The difference of sensitivity was not statistically significant (p=0.453). Of 5 cases with small metastatic node (<1cm), 3 were detected on PET detected correctly but none were detected by CT. Conclusion: FDG-PET was more accurate than conventional imaging study in the diagnosis of metastatic lymph nodes in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, especially detection of small metastatic node. FDG-PET might be useful adjunct to conventional image in the preoperative evaluation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.182-190
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• 2018

Objectives: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide. Inconsistency in various histopathologic features for predicting nodal metastasis and overall prognosis and a better understanding of molecular mechanisms of tumourigenesis have shifted the focus to a search for more definitive predictive markers. To identify the role of two immunohistochemical (IHC) markers, E-cadherin and cyclin D1, as predictive markers of aggressiveness in HNSCC and to assess clonal expansion of tumour cells. Materials and Methods: A total of 66 cases of HNSCC with neck node dissection were studied. IHC was performed on primary tumour sections and lymph nodes showing metastatic deposits. Histopathological parameters such as tumour grade and TNM stage together with nodal status were compared according to expression of the two markers. Fischer's chi-square test was used to assess the correlation between the two markers and histopathological parameters. Results: Out of 66 cases studied, 37 showed LN metastasis. Most of the patients were male, and the most common tumour site was buccal mucosa. We found a significant association between loss of E-cadherin and node metastasis (P<0.001) and higher TNM stage (P<0.001). Cyclin D1 overexpression was significantly associated with only nodal metastasis (P=0.007). No significant association with tumour grade was found for either marker. The subgroup of E-cadherin loss with cyclin D1 overexpression was associated with the maximum incidence of nodal metastasis and higher TNM stage, highlighting the importance of using a combination of these two markers. A significant association was noted between the expression of markers at the primary site and at nodal deposits, indicating clonal expansion. Conclusion: A combination of the two markers E-cadherin and cyclin D1 can predict prognosis in HNSCC, although tumour heterogeneity may affect this association in some cases.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.3-8
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• 2010

Background : Though papillary microcarcinoma(PMC) of thyroid gland is known to have very favorable long-term prognosis, the recurrence in the neck and distant metastasis have been often reported. The predictive factors of node metastasis and tumor recurrence in clinical course were investigated to define surgical decision or guidelines in surgery of papillary microcarcinoma. Methods : The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 216 patients of PMC treated with surgery at Department of Surgery, Busan Paik Hospital for the period from 1997 to 2007. Of these patients, 58 cases showing cervical lymph node metastasis at initial surgery were studied. Results : In overall 216 patients, the sex ratio of male to female was 1 : 9.3(male 21, female 195 cases), the mean age at the time of diagnosis was 44.7 years and the median tumor size was 6.61mm. Neck lymph node metastasis was found in 58 patients(26.9%), thyroid capsular invasion was 56 cases(25.9%), multifocality and bilaterality were found in 32(14.8%) and 29 cases(13.4%), respectively. Through statistical analysis, sex, capsular invasion, ETE, and tumor size(>5mm) were considered to be predictive factors of cervical lymph nodes metastasis. Of them, capsular invasion was the most predictive indicator of cervical lymph node metastasis on multivariate analysis. Nodal recurrence was observed in 6 of 58 patients of node positive at initial surgery. Conclusion : The cervical lymph node metastasis is known to be a risk factor of prognosis in PMC of thyroid gland. The results of this study showed four statistically significant independent predictive factors of cervical lymph node metastasis in PMC : capsular invasion, tumor size(>5mm), ETE, and sex. On multivariate analysis, capsular invasion was a great influencing factor in prediction of lymph node metastasis. Basically, patients who has predictive factors of cervical lymph node metastasis should have a thorough investigation, and close surveillance for nodal status is required in follow-up.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.183-186
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• 2010

Purpose : Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is known for malignant tumor which has a favorable prognosis and long-term survival. Although the prognosis for patients with PTC is generally good, PTC tends to have highly metastatic property. The purpose of this study was to analyze the central compartment lymph node in papillary thyroid cancer with no lymph node metastasis clinically and to assess the significance of prophylactic node dissection. Methods : A retrospective review was carried out in 394 patients with PTC who underwent surgery for the period from January 2004 to December 2006. The positive rate of the lymph node metastasis was analyzed. The relations between the central compartment lymph nodes and the patients' age, gender, tumor size, exrathyroidal extension(ETE), multifocality, and bilaterality were comparatively analyzed in PTC patients with preoperative no lymph node metastasis. Results : The enrolled patients were 40 male and 354 female cases. The 118 cases of them were found to have cervical lymph node metastasis. The mean age was 46 years(range, 15-77years). Tumor size(p=0.000), ETE(p=0.001), multifocality(p=0.014), and bilaterality(p=0.001) were significantly related factors for cervical lymph node metastasis clinically in papillary thyroid cancer. However, age and gender were not significantly related with lymph node metastasis. Conclusion : Although no lymph node metastasis clinically, prophylactic neck node dissection can be performed to avoid risks of local recurrence and reoperation in the light of PTC nature. The pathological status and high positive rate of central compartment lymph node relate to tumor size and extrathyroidal extension. Close surveillance for nodal status is required in follow-up.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.67-70
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• 2017

We present a metastatic carcinoma from the breast to the neck soft tissue around common carotid artery, with a rare finding of voice change. A 60 year-old female patient presented with voice change for 7 months. Neck ultrasound revealed a soft tissue mass between internal jugular vein and common carotid artery. Result of fine needle aspiration biopsy was a metastatic carcinoma. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance image revealed $2.5{\times}3.0cm$ sized irregular marginated soft tissue mass in right lower neck encasing common carotid artery and internal jugular vein. Surgical resection was performed and pathologic result with immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the diagnosis of a metastatic invasive ductal carcinoma originated from breast.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.62-64
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• 2013

The distant metastasis is found out in about 25-57% of the patients with renal cell carcinoma at the time of diagnosis. But, the incidence of metastases to the head and neck region, especially to the thyroid gland, is rare. Most of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the thyroid gland are asymptomatic at presentation as patients with primary thyroid carcinoma. In the presence of clear cell tumor of the thyroid gland, the diagnostic considerations must include metastatic renal cell carcinoma. We report a case of thyroid metastasis from renal cell carcinoma at the time of diagnosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2659-2664
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• 2015

Background: To examine the expression of cysteine-rich 61 (Cyr61/CCN1) protein in laryngeal squamouscell carcinoma (LSCC) tissues, and its relationship with the tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, metastasis, and prognosis. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of Cyr61, Vimentin (Vim), and E-cadherin (E-cad) in 88 cases of LSCC tissues and 30 cases of tumor-adjacent normal tissues. Vim and E-cad were used as mesenchymal and epithelial markers, respectively, to determine the relationship between Cyr61 expression and the EMT of LSCC cells. In addition, clinical and histopathological data were combined to analyze the relationship between the positive-expression rates of Cyr61, Vim and E-cad and LSCC invasion, metastasis and prognosis. Results: In LSCC tissues, Vim expression rate was significantly higher than that of the tumor-adjacent tissues, whereas E-cad expression rate was significantly lower than that of the tumor-adjacent tissues. The Vim expression rate was significantly higher in stages T3 and T4 than in stages T1 and T2 LSCC tissues, whereas E-cad expression rate was significantly lower in stages T3 and T4 than in stages T1 and T2 LSCC tissues. Compared to the group without lymph node metastasis, the Vim expression rate was significantly higher and the E-cad expression rate was significantly lower in the group with lymph node metastasis. The expression rate of Cyr61 was significantly higher in LSCC tissues than in the tumor-adjacent normal tissues. In addition, the Cyr61 expression rate was higher in stages T3 and T4 than in stages T1 and T2 LSCC, and higher in the group with lymph node metastasis than in the group without lymph node metastasis. The Vim expression rate was significantly higher in the Cyr61 positive group than in the Cyr61 negative group, whereas the E-cad expression rate was significantly higher in the Cyr61 negative group than in the Cyr61 positive group. Survival analysis indicated that survival rates of Cyr61 positive, Vim positive and E-cad negative groups were significantly lower than that of Cyr61 negative, Vim negative and E-cad positive groups, respectively. Conclusions: Cyr61 expression is closely associated with LSCC invasion and lymph node metastasis. Overexpression of Cyr61 may induce EMT and therefore leads to LSCC invasion and metastasis and poor prognosis. Cyr61 may become a new maker for clinical prediction of LSCC invasion and metastasis and a new target for LSCC treatment.