• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제62권1호
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• pp.67-70
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• 2007

A thymic carcinoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of the thymus epithelium, which can be distinguished from a benign or invasive thymoma. Contrary to a thymoma, the association of a thymic carcinoma and autoimmune disease is rare, with only a few cases having been reported. Herein, a case of thymic carcinoma diagnosed concurrently with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is reported. A 49 year-old man presented at our clinic with myalgia. He was diagnosed with SLE, based on an oral ulcer, lymphopenia, and positive ANA and anti-Sm antibodies. Incidentally, a routine chest X-ray showed a large mediastinal mass. Pathological examination of the mediastinal mass revealed an undifferentiated thymic carcinoma, of WHO classification type C. Further work-up for staging showed multiple bone and lung metastases. With a palliative aim, he received systemic chemotherapy, but refused further chemotherapy after the $2^{nd}$ course. Currently, the patient has not been followed up since the chemotherapy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제30권7호
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• pp.708-712
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• 1997

We report on nine years experience of surgical treatment of mediastinal tumors in 47 patients. Their ages ranged from 5 o 67 years with an average of 36.4 years and the sex ratio of male and female was 1:1.5. The most frequent symptom was chest pain(27.7%), followed by ptosis(14.9%), general weatuless(12.8%) and eight patients(17.0%) were asymptomatic. The most prevalent location of the tumor was anterosuperior mediastinum(63.8%). Pathologically, thymoma(32.9%) was the most common tumor, followed by cyst(21.3%), neurogenic tumor(17.0%), germ cell tumor(12.8%), and mesenchymal tumor(6.4%). Complete removal was achieved in 41 cases of all benign tumors and 3 cases of malignant tumors. All the malignant tumor patients were treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or both after surgery. Postoperative complications developed in 4 cases and there was no operative death.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.849-854
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• 1985

We have experienced 50 cases of mediastinal tumors and cysts from March, 1979 to August, 1985 at Kyung Hee University Hospital. The results of this cases analysis were as followings; 1. Of all 50 mediastinal tumors and cysts, 26 patients were male and 24 patients were female. There was no sex preference. The age distribution was from 27 months to 64 years, and mean age was 33.5 years old, and also no age preference. 2. The most common mediastinal tumor was benign cysts [12 cases], which comprise 24% of all mediastinal tumors and cysts. The second common mediastinal tumor was teratoma [9 cases-18%], and followed by thymic tumors and tuberculous granuloma [7 cases-14% each], neurogenic tumors [5 cases-10%], and other tumors [10 cases-20%]. 3. The anterior mediastinum was most common tumor location, and followed by middle, superior, and posterior. 4. All 9 teratomas were developed at anterior mediastinum, and 4 of 5 neurogenic tumors were developed at posterior mediastinum. Thymomas were developed at anterior and superior mediastinum. The bronchogenic cysts had no predilection of location. 5. The most common chief complaint at admission was chest pain or discomfort [23 cases-46%], and followed by cough with or without sputum, and exertional dyspnea. Asymptomatic patients were only 7 patients [24%]. 6. Of all 50 cases, 38 cases [76%] received radical tumor resection, 7 mediastinoscopic biopsy, 3 explo thoracotomy and biopsy, and 1 neck mass biopsy. 7. There were 2 hospital deaths, one of which was a patient who suffered malignant thymoma and Myasthenia Gravis. The patient received radical tumor excision, but died at 7th POD. The other patient was a patient with malignant transformation of the benign cystic teratoma. The operative mortality was 4%.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제26권9호
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• pp.705-709
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• 1993

The mediastinoscopy was a well known useful diagnostic tool for detection of certain mediastinal tumors ,mediastinal lymph nodes invasion by bronchogenic carcinoma and metastatic cancer. A total of 33 cases of mediastinoscopies were reviewed, which were experienced at Chon Buk National University Hospital from August,1980 to October 1991. Mediastinoscopy was performed through anterior or parasternal approach in 18 cases, cervical approach in 14 cases and both in 1 case. In 12 cases which were used for preoperative stagig of lung cancer, 10 cases[83.3%] had the positive biopsy results at mediastinal nodes. In 11 cases for diagnosis of lymph nodes and masses with unknown lung lesion, small cell carcinoma revealed in 3 cases,squamous cell carcinoma in 2 , adenocarcinoma in 1 case and the others were had the negative biopsy results. In 10 cases for diagnosis of mediastinal tumors, lymphoma revealed in 2 cases, malignant thymoma in 2, sarcoidosis in 2, tuberculous granuloma in 1, mesothelioma in 1, metastatic cancer with unknown origin in 1 case. Thoracotomy was performed in 3 cases of lung cancers, 2 patients with negative biopsy results in preoperative staging and 1 patient with subcarinal lymph node involvement only. Bleeding complications during mediastinoscopy were developed in 2 cases, managed by anterior mini-thoracotomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.146-151
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• 1990

Myasthenia gravis is a disorder of neuromuscular transmission characterized by weakness and fatigue of voluntary muscles. It is now reasonably established to be due to an autoimmune attack directed against the postsynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of voluntary muscles. Thymectomy has become increasingly important in the treatment of this disease after the successful case of Blalock in 1939. From January 1984 to December 1988, we performed total thymectomy in 25 cases of myasthenia gravis except one, and get the results as follows. l. Among 25 cases, male to female was 10:15 and the age was ranged from 16 years to 65 years. 2. Thymectomy was done in 24 cases and 1 case of malignant thymoma was not resectable. 3. There were 2 deaths after thymectomy due to myasthenic crisis. 4. There were 19 cases [76 %] of improvement after thymectomy as follows; complete remission was 6 cases [24 %], marked improvement was 9 cases [36 %] and subjective improvement was 4 cases [16 %]. 5. The effect of age, and duration of disease on operative result was not statistically significant, but that of thymic pathology was significant.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.65-71
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• 1992

Myocardial perfusion imaging with $^{201}Tl-chloride$ following exercise or vasodilator-induced hyperemia has been effective in detecting the presence of coronary artery disease. An increased lung uptake of thallium has been reported as a sensitive marker of severe and extensive coronary artery disease and associated with poor prognosis. Thallium has also been noted to concentrate in a variety of malignant lesions. We report 5 cases of extracardiac uptake of thallium during myocardial perfusion scan with pharmacologic vasodilation. Accumulation of thallium was found in the lesions of a breast cancer, a lung cancer, a Castleman's disease and 2 cases of thymoma. We believe that the presence of focal extracardiac uptake of thallium during myocardial perfusion scan should suggest the need for further clinical evaluation to detect the tumor and must differentiate the increased lung uptake of thallium due to left ventricular dysfunction in coronary artery disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제48권6호
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• pp.447-451
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• 2015

This report describes the case of a 57-year-old man with an anterior mediastinal tumor. Four years previously, he underwent laparoscopic anterior resection for sigmoid colon cancer. Thirty months after that procedure, bilateral pulmonary metastasectomy was performed. Twelve months later, follow-up computed tomography revealed a 1-cm pulmonary nodule on the upper lobe of the right lung and a solid mass on the anterior mediastinum, and the patient was also observed to have an elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level. Repeated pulmonary nodule resection and total thymectomy were performed. Immunohistochemical staining of the anterior mediastinal tumor revealed adenocarcinoma, and his serum CEA level returned to normal after the operation. These findings strongly suggested metastatic thymic adenocarcinoma from a colorectal cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.29-39
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• 2004

Background : The diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to mediastinal tumors and cysts have changed over the past three decades. This report summarizes our forty-two years of experience with these tumors. Methods : This study retrospectively reviewed 479 patients with primary mediastinal tumors and cysts that were diagnosed and managed over the past 17-year period (1985~2002) and compared them to the report of the previous 25-year result (1960~1985) in Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital in Seoul, Korea. Results : During the 17 years, there were 479 cases of pathologically proven mediastinal tumors and cysts. Thymoma (38.2%) was the most common mediastinal tumor and has increased noticeably during recent years. The gender ratio showed a male predominance (1.3:1) and the age distributions were even over all the age groups. The most common sites of the tumor and the proportion(28.6%) of malignant tumors were the same as that previously reported. A diagnosis of a tumor in asymptomatic patients was possible in 174 cases (36.3%), which was higher that reported previously. The diagnostic yield of a fine needle aspiration biopsy was 68.6% in the total tumors and 80.9% in the malignant tumors. A surgical resection was the most frequently chosen treatment modality and was performed in 405 cases (84.6%). The complete resection rate was 91.1%, which is higher than the previous result of 78.8%. Conclusion : These results showed that the prevalence of mediastinal tumors and cysts, particularly thymoma, increased. A fine needle aspiration biopsy was a valuable preoperative differential diagnostic method for malignant tumors. The surgical and complete resection rate increased remarkably possibly due to the better applicable chest CT scans, the more frequent health check-up provided by the regular health promotion program for all people as a health insurance policy, and the improved diagnostic techniques in the pathologic, radiological, and clinical fields.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.112-127
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• 1987

Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular transmission function disorder characterized by fatigue and weakness of voluntary muscles. This muscular weakness is intensified by activity and stress, and improved by the use of anticholinesterase compounds. It was initially described by Erb in 1879 and later named myasthenia gravis by Jolly in 1895. Although the pathogenesis is Known to be an autoimmune related reduction in the number of available acetylcholine receptors at neuromuscular junctions, the role of thymus in myasthenia gravis is still unclear and under investigation. Thymectomy in the management of myasthenia gravis has become increasingly important since Dr. Blalock observed in 1939 that some patients with thymic tumors and myasthenia gravis improved following thymectomy. A clinical study of 102 cases of myasthenia gravis was performed at Yonsei University College of Medicine. Seoul, Korea from Jan. 1976 to Jun. 1986. In order to determine which factors are of prognostic significance, attention is focused upon pre-operative patient evaluation, problems in operative and post-operative care, and long-term follow-up observations. The results were as follows: 1. The sex distribution was 67 females and 35 males, the mean age of onset was 28.95*1.69 years, and the maximal incidence occurred between 21 and 40 years of age [56 cases: 54.9%]. 2. Clinical manifestations of ocular symptoms were seen to 70 patients [68.6%] extremities weakness in 33 [32.3%], bulbar weakness in 29 [28.4%], and dyspnea in 13 [12.7%]. 3. Study cases more than two thirds were classified as mild types [MG 1 and MG 11A] and 6 cases as grave [MG 1V] based on the modified Osserman`s classification system, 4. Thymectomy was performed in 19 cases which presented in severe myasthenia symptoms and showed no improvement with cholinergic drugs. Histologic examination of the excised thymus glands revealed no abnormalities in 4 cases, thymic hyperplasia in 5, benign thymoma in 5, and malignant thymoma in 5. 5. Immediate post-operative complications included 2 cases of pneumothorax which were treated by tube thoracostomies, there was no operative mortality. 6. The response to cholinergic drugs in 36 cases younger than 20 years old and in 27 cases older than 40 years was relatively poor, while that in 35 cases between the ages of 21 and 40 years old was good. 7. Thirty of 39 cases in groups IIB, III & IV improved markedly with medical or surgical management while only 16 of 59 cases in the mild groups [I and IIA] improved, almost all surgical cases improved in all categories. 8. There were 5 deaths. occurring between 7 months and 3 years 3 months of treatment of myasthenia gravis. The causes of death were myasthenic crisis in 2 cases, respiratory failure due to candidiasis & radiation pneumonitis in one case, cerebral hemorrhage due to high blood pressure in two case.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.79-90
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• 1989

Computerized Tomography is now well established and important noninvasive method of diagnosting mediastinal mass lesions because of its superior imaging of their size, location and internal composition. Authors ana lysed and present CT findings of 30 surgically proven mediastinal tumors and cysts that were studied and treated at the Yeungnam University Hospital during recent 6 years. The most common tumor was thymona(9 cases), and teratoma(6 cases), lymphoma(6 cases), bronchogenic cyst(4 cases), neurogenic tumor (4 cases), pericardial cyst(1 case) were next in order of frequency. There were 5 cases of thymoma showing homogenous solid density mass, 2 cases were malignant thymoma and myasthenia gravis was present in 2 cases. A case of thymolipoma and a case of thymic carcinoma were included. All teratomas were cystic masses but pathognomic fat, and calcified density were seen only in 4 cases. 5 cases were located in anterior mediastinum and 1 case was in posterior mediastinum. Lymphoma(3 Hodgkin's and 3 non-Hodgkin's) appeared as irregular lobulated mass in anterior mediastinum. Neurogenic tumor(2 ganglioneuroma and 2 neurilemmoma) appeared as homogenous density mass located in posterior mediastinum. Among the 4 bronchogenic cysts, 2 were located in retrotracheal area, 1 was located in subcarinal and 1 was in parathoracic area. One case of pericardial cyst was oval shaped cystic mass located in left pericardiac border.