Objective: The expression of Ki67, a proliferation marker, and p27, a cyclin dependent kinases(CDKs) inhibitor, has been studied in various human neoplasms. This study was carried out to determine whether these markers are useful in distinguishing benign from malignant lesions of the thyroid or predicting biologic behavior of malignant lesions. Material and Methods: Using immunohistochemical techniques with monoclonal antibodies to Ki67 and p27, we analyzed the expression of Ki67 and p27 in various thyroid disorders(25 follicular adenomas, 47 follicular carcinomas, 16 papillary carcinomas, 20 adenomatous goiters and 40 normal thyroid tissues). The labeling indices(LIs) were determined by counting cells expressing these markers in 1000 cells per immunostained slide. Results: Neoplastic thyroid diseases showed higher expression of Ki67 and lower expression of p27 than non-neoplastic diseases(p<0.05). The expression of p27 was significantly different between follicular adenomas($LI=55.4{\pm}5.7$) and follicular carcinomas($LI=23.2{\pm}10.2$). There was, however, no significant correlation between the degree of Ki67 and p27labeling indices and types of carcinoma or clinical aggressiveness of diseases. Conclusion: The degree of Ki67 and p27 expression was useful in distinguishing between benign from malignant thyroid lesions, particulary between follicular adenoma and follicular carcinoma, but was not directly proportional to the tumor aggressiveness.

Objectives: The records of 936 patients with previously untreated carcinoma of the head and neck were reviewed in order to define the incidence and topographical distribution of neck node metastasis on admission. Materials and Methods: The common regions of metastasis are presented for each of the 12th individual head and neck sites selected for study. Results and Conclusion: Knowledge of the preferred areas of spread and those that are almost never involved allows the design of more adequate radiation therapy plans to manage the individual tumors.

Background and Objectives: Occult neck metastasis rate of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer varies widely depending upon authors. Materials and Methods: Sixty four cases, previously untreated, of N0 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients who underwent surgery as an initial treatment from 1992 to 1997 were evaluated. All had unilateral or bilateral elective neck dissection at the time of surgery for the primary. Occult neck metastasis rate was evaluated with pathologic examination of neck dissection specimen. Results: Occult neck metastasis rate by primary site was as follows. Supraglottis ipsilateral 32%(8/25) contralateral 15%(3/20), glottis ipsilateral 17%(5/30), contralateral 0%(0/22), hypopharynx ipsilateral 78%(7/9), contralateral 25%(2/8). Conclusion: Supraglottic and hypopharyngeal cancer may need elective neck treatment bilaterally. Occult neck metastasis of glottic cancer to opposite site was minimal.

Purpose: We performed this study retrospectively to evaluate local control, survival, prognostic factors, and failure patterns in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of Waldeyer's ring. Materials and Methods: From April 1984 to November 1996,41 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of Waldeyer's ring were treated with combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Age was ranged from 19 to 73 years old with a median age of 55 years, and there were 26 male and 15 female patients. Primary site was tonsil in 26 and base of the tongue in 7 and nasopharynx in 8, and stage distribution showed stage I in 12 and stage II in 29 patients. Pathologic classification was done according to Working Formulation. There were 1 with follicular mixed small cleaved and large cell, 8 with diffuse small cleaved cell, 7 with diffuse mixed small and large cell, and 25 cases with diffuse large cell. All patients were treated with combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy regimen consisted of either CHOP-Bleo(cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, prednisolone, bleomycin) or COP-BLAM III(cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone, bleomycin, adriamycin, procarbazine). Radiation dose ranged from 3600cGy to 6620cGy with a median dose of 5040cGy. Follow-up time was ranged from 15 months to 159 months(median 55 months). Results: The complete response was achieved in 98%(40/41) and partial response in 2%(1/41). The complete response rate were the followings: 66.7% for stage I and 51.7% for stage II after chemotherapy, 100% for stage I and 96.6% for stage II after overall treatment respectively. The overall survival rate and disease-tree survival rates at 5 years were 82.6% and 79.5%, respectively. Prognostic factors for overall survival were age(p=0.007), stage(p=0.03), nodal status(p=0.006) and radiation dose(p=0.003). The factors associated with disease-tree survival were stage(p=0.04), nodal status(p=0.004) and radiation dose(p=0.009). The failure patterns were analized in evaluable 35 patients with complete response. Locoregional failure was noted in 2 patients and distant metastasis in 5 patients. Conclusion: Our results suggest that combined modality therapy is the appropriate treatment for stage I-II intermediate grade non-hodgkin's lymphoma of the Waldeyer's ring. However, our material is small and the analysis is retrospective. Randomized prospective studies for combined therapy, radiation therapy alone and chemotherapy alone are needed.

Objectives: This study was carried out to analyze the clinical profile and the results of treatment of a series of patients with extramedullary plasmacytoma(EMP) of the head and neck. Materials and Methods: The clinical features, treatment and survival of 14 patients with EMP seen at Yonsei Medical Center between 1970 and 1998 were carefully reviewed. Results: The median age was 48 years(range 15-75) and there was a male predominance(M:F 1.8:1). Nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses account for 50% of the primary sites and the most common symptom was airway obstruction(50%). Five patients(36%) showed evidence of adjacent bone destruction, one patient had lymph node involvement and one patient had an IgG monoclonal gammopathy at the time of diagnosis. All 5 patients treated with radiotherapy alone achieved local control. Of 5 patients treated with surgery alone, 2 patients(40%) had local failure. Of 3 patient treated with a combination of surgery and radiotherapy, one patient had local recurrence. A total of7 patients(54%) had local, distant or nodal relapses after primary treatment. Six of them received salvage treatment. With salvage treatment of surgery and/or radiotherapy, local control was achieved in 4 of 6 patients. Conversion to multiple myeloma was seen in one patient. Conclusion: Radiotherapy should be recommanded as treatment of choice for EMP of the head and neck. Surgery should be reserved for radioresistant or recurrent tumors, but tumors that are localized and can be removed relatively easily with little morbidity may be treated by primary surgery.

Objectives: The treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil remains controversial. Surgery or radiation therapy alone is effective in treating early tonsil cancer, but results with single treatment modality in advanced disease have been disappointing. We retrospectively analyzed 37 patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil for two treatment modalities in an effort to identify more efficacious therapeutic options. Materials and Methods: From 1990 through 1997, 37 patients who were treated primarily with surgery, were retrospectively sudied. The patients were grouped into two groups according to the method of treatment, extended tonsillectomy followed by irradiation and/or postradiation neck dissection(Group I) and a combination of composite resection and postoperative radiation(Group II). Results: The three year disease-tree survival in patients with stage IV lesions was 59.09% for the Group I patients, and 56.25% for the Group II patients. This difference was not statistically significant(p=0.775). The primary tumor recurrence rate in Group I was 16.7% in contrast to 23.1% for Group II. The local recurrence rate in the neck was 16.7% for the Group I patients and 23.1% for the Group II patients. There was no significant difference in the frequency of recurrences in the primary or neck in the patients treated with extended tonsillectomy or composite resection(p=0.639). Fistula formation and aspiration occurred in four patients after composite resection. Additionally, there were three trismus, one soft tissue necrosis, and one velopharyngeal insufficiency. Major complications were not observed in the patients treated with extended tonsillectomy and irradiation: velopharyngeal insufficiency was observed in eight patients and soft tissue necrosis in two patients. Conclusion: Extended tonsillectomy followed by irradiation may be an effective therapy with low morbidity in selected patients with tonsil cancer.

Objectives: Maxillary cancer is notorious for its poor prognosis because it is usually detected lately and the majority of patients have advanced disease. Especially when the cancer extended to infratemporal fossa or pterygopalatine fossa it is very difficult to remove all the involved structure by conventional maxillectomy. In these cases we have used radical maxillectomy through lateral approach. We tried to figure out the clinical significance of this procedure. Material and Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 23 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus who underwent surgical treatment for cure. Among them 17 patients(group A) were treated with initial surgery and 6 patients(group B) underwent salvage surgery after radiotherpy. Radical maxillectomy was performed in 12 patients and conventional total maxillectomy in 11 patients. Results: In group A, 3 out of 9 total maxillectomy case and none of 8 radical maxillectomy case were recurred. In group B one patient died of postoperative complication and among the other 5 patients only one out of 3 radical maxillectomy was salvaged and 2 total maxillectomy cases were died of intercurrent disease. Conclusion: Wide surgical dissection of pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal fossa may improve the survival rate in patients with posterior wall invasion of maxillary sinus.

Background: Total thyroidectomy and postoperative radiodiodine ablation therapy in differentiated thyroid carcinomas enhance the reliability of serum thyroglobulin(Tg) levels and radioiodine scan in detecting recurrence or distant metastasis. There have been, however, some limitations in using these methods under certain conditions. Recently, several reports have indicated that thyroid peroxidase(TPO) could be used as an alternative tumor marker. We aimed to estimate the significance of serum TPO levels in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy due to papillary thyroid carcinomas and who had been followed-up for at least 3 years were classified into two groups: 27 patients without any evidence of recurrence in group 1; and 20 patients with recurrence or distant metastasis in group 2. All patients were examined by radioiodine scans. Serum Tg, TSH, antithyroglobulin antibody, and TPO were measured and the relationships were statistically analyzed. The sensitivity and specificity of $^{131}I$ scan, serum Tg, and serum TPO were evaluated. Results: Serum Tg levels were $3.81{\pm}5.16ng/mL$ in group 1 and $147.02{\pm}193.75ng/mL$ in group 2. Only 2 patients in group 1 showed Tg levels exceeding 10ng/mL. In contrast, 4 patients in group 2 were under 10ng/mL. Serum antithyroglobulin antibody and TSH levels showed no statistical difference between the two groups. In group 1, 16 patients showed negative serum TPO results, and 4 patients in group 2 showed negative results. There was no correlation among serum Tg levels, antithyroglobulin antibody titers, and serum TPO levels in each group. In group 2, 4 patients with negative serum Tg levels showed positive TPO results and positive whole body scans. Two cases with false negative $^{131}I$ scans showed positive serum TPO and Tg results. In 4 cases showing false negative serum TPO levels, serum Tg levels and $^{131}I$ scans were positive. Conclusion: Serum Tg levels, radioiodine scans, and serum TPO levels can be clinically used as complementary methods in the diagnosis of recurrent or metastatic thyroid carcinomas. Serum TPO levels may be helpful when other methods fail to detect recurrences or distant metastasis in highly suspected patients.

Objectives: For investigation of the differentiation between transient and permanent hypocalcemia, we focused on a postoperative calcium requirement and an interval of normalization in serum hypocalcemic level and studied for the causes of postoperative hypocalcemia. Material and Method: Postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia was studied in 193 patients who were admitted from January, 1991 to December, 1998 and underwent lobectomy, subtotal thyroidectomy or total thyroidectomy. We compared postoperative serum calcium, phosphate and ionized calcium levels among three groups which were lobectomy, subtotal thyroidectomy and total thyroidectomy, respectively. Result: All patients revealed postoperative decline in serum calcium and ionized calcium, especially, the lowest serum calcium level was seen in 48 hours after surgery. Serum calcium level was returned to normal in five to six postoperative days in most patients. But 24 patients required calcium supplementation due to symptomatic hypocalcemia. In this series, we discovered that the important period for monitoring of serum calcium level was 24 to 96 hours after surgery. If the calcium replacement therapy was not required in the first 72 hours after surgery, it would not be needed during the remainder of the patient's hospital course. Symptomatic transient hypocalcemia was 22 cases(11.4%) and permanent hypocalcemia was 2 cases(1%). Conclusion : We found that hypoalbuminemia, preoperative hyperthyroidism and impairment of blood supply to parathyroid were the main causes of postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia. We also thought that the interval from initial medication to normalization in serum calcium level, and the increase of requirement in calcium and vitamin D were the important factors for differentiation between transient and permanent hypocalcemia.

Introduction: The surgical treatment of Graves' disease has several advantage such as rapid and long lasting therapeutic effect, relatively low incidence of postoperative hypothyroidism and recurrence. Because of less frequent but serious postoperative complications, the operation have not been casually used for treatment of Graves' disease. Hypoclacemia, hoarseness and hematomas are common complications after operative treatment. However, the causative mechanisms of these complications have not been well explained. Objective: We aimed to analyze the risk factors affecting the occurance of complications in surgical treatment for Graves' disease and to evaluate what are the causative mechanisms of postoperative complications. Patients and Methods: From January 1985 to December 1998, a total of 668 surgically treated patients for Graves' disease were enrolled in this study. The incidence of postoperative complications were analyzed in relation to types of surgery, preoperaive preparation, specimen weight, bleeding amount and remnant weight. Results: Postoperative complication was developed in 108(16.2%) of 668 patients. The most common complication was transient hypocalcemia in 85 cases(12.7%). Other complications were: Hematoma in 9 cases(1.3%), transient hoarseness in 5 cases(0.7%), permanent hypocalcemia in 6 cases(0.9%), permanent hoarseness in 3 case(0.4%). The important etiologic factors affecting the occurance of complications were preoperative preparation, perioperative thyroid weight, and remnant thyroid weight. Since 1993, the incidence of complication was more decreased than that in before. Conclusion: To decrease the incidence of postoperative complications of Graves' disease, the patients should be selected carefully, sufficient preoperative preparation should be achieved, and the operation should be performed by well-experienced surgeons.

Background and Objectives: It is critical to distinguish benign from malignant thyroid nodule and to select a patient for surgery. Even though the U/S study dose not make great contribution to diagnose a malignant thyroid nodule, it is widely used in the evaluation of anatomic feature of thyroid. The authors tried to estimate the efficacy of the U/S study in preoperative diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodule. Materials and Method: At the department of General Surgery of Ajou University, 75 patients who were operated after diagnosis with thyroid nodule by U/S study between July 1996 to June 1997 were retrospectively analyzed. By comparing the U/S impression that implies malignant thyroid nodule to FNAC and post-operative pathologic results ware as follows. Results: 1) Absence of cystic change, presence of internal hypoechogenicity, lobulation, calcification, thick and irregular halo, and nodule more than 4cm in diameter on U/S were considered significant statistically for the diagnosis of malignancy(Chi-square test, p<0.05) 2) Presence of internal hypoechogenicity or thick and irregular halo has the validity in Logistic regression analysis. 3) FNAC was done in 65 case. 19 case were malignant, 11 case were suspicious and 46 patients were benign (sensitivity 52.6%, specificity 87%). 4) The findings of U/S which are hypoechogenic and thick and irregular halo show 82% sensitivity and 97% specificity. In combination with the findings of FNAC that imply benign or suspicious lesions, the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 97%. Conclusion: This study suggest that the hypoechogenicity and thick and irregular halo on U/S are important information for the diagnosis of thyroid malignancy which were considered benign or suspicious after FNAC.

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the methods of diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules. Materials and Methods : We performed a clinical review of patients with thyroid nodules, who were surgically treated at the Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Chosun University from January 1996 to December 1998. Results: 1) The patients were divided into two groups; 65 patients(80.2%) with benign nodular disease and 16 patients(19.8%) with malignant disease. 2) The sex distribution showed a preponderance of females with a ratio of 5.2:1 in benign nodular disease and 3:1 in malignant disease. Benign nodules were more prevalent in patients in their 40's as compared to malignant nodules in patients in their 50's and 60's. 3) The most common duration of illness was 3 months, occurring in 45.7% of the total cases. 4) The most prominent symptom and sign was a palpable nodule in the anterior aspect of the neck. 5) The location of the nodule was ; 41 cases in the right lobe, 29 cases in the left lobe, and 11 cases in both lobes. 6) Thyroid scanning of 40 patients revealed cold nodules in 90.6% of benign nodules and in all malignant disease. 7) Fine needle aspiration cytology were performed in 32 cases of the 81 patients. Comparing with postoperative pathological findings, the results were the same in 87.5% of 32 cases. 8) Intra-operative frozen section study was performed in 56 cases of the 81 patients. Comparing with postoperative pathological finding, the results were same in 96.4% of the 56 cases. 9) The histopathological classification revealed that adenomatous goiters were the most common benign disease and papillary carcinomas were the most common malignant disease. 10) The most frequently employed operation for benign nodules and malignant disease was unilateral total lobectomy. When the metastasis was confirmed, lymphadenectomy and radical neck dissection was performed in malignant disease. 11) Important postoperative complications were transient hoarseness, transient hypocalcemia, hypothyroidism, wound bleeding, and hoarseness. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that palpable nodules in anterior aspect of neck is revealed cold nodule by thyroid scanning and malignancy by fine needle aspiration cytology, which should be removed surgically. There is no difference in complication and survival rate with type of operation and lymphatic dissection. Therefore, procedure of operation is dependent on the site of nodule and involvement of lymph node.

The relationship between acute pancreatitis and hyperparathyroidism has been described extensively in the past. Despite the rarity, the clinical progression of pancreatitis associated with hyperparathyroidism has been known to be so rapid and severe that it may cause death. When, furthermore, the pancreatitis is caused by hyperparathyroidism, the recovery from disease can be hardly expected unless the hyperparathyroidism is corrected. We present a case of acute pancreatitis in a 68-year-old man that have been caused by primary hyperparathyroidism. The clues of hyperparathyrodism were hypercalcemia and elevated parathyroid hormone, but he showed subtle or negative symptoms of hypercalcemia. After the excision of parathyroid adenoma, serum calcium level returned to normal and the symptoms and function of pancreas were recovered.

Primary hryperparathyroidism is a relatively rare disease entity in Korea. It's characterized by severe skeletal and renal changes due to hypersecretion of parathyroid hormone, and rarely shows peptic ulceration, hypertension, pancreatitis and impaired mentality. Recently the determination of the serum calcium level has become a routine laboratory test and the awareness of primary hyperparathyroidism has been incerased, the disease is being diagnosed with increasing frequency. Primary hyperparathyroidism is most commonly caused by parathyroid adenoma and rarely hyperplasia, cancer of parathyroid glands. The authors operated sucessfully a case of primary parathyroid adenoma by diagnosed by nuclear medical diagnostic work-up. The patient had anterior neck mass(soft, non tender nodule) on physical examination, multiple goiter on thyroid ultrasonogram and scan. The parathyroid lesion was difficult to find preoperatively.

Neurinoma originates from any nerve covered with a Schwann cell sheath and can occur in any cranial, sympathetic, or peripheral nerve. Hypoglossal neurinomas are rare and most of them are intracranial, but they may extend extracranially. Most intracranial neurinoma arise from the sensory division of cranial nerve but a motor nerve such as hypoglossal nerve is rarely involved. Although the typical sign of hypoglossal neurinoma is ipsilateral hemiatrophy of the tongue, it is easily overlooked. For the diagnosis of hypoglossal nerve tumor, CT scanning with contrast enhancement and MRI should be included, and they are greatly aids in planning the radical removal of the tumor. We experienced a case of intracranial hypoglossal neurinoma with extracranial extension in a 43-year-old woman. The patient showed otherwise unremarkable except 4 months history of right infraauricular mass and right tongue hemiatrophy. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for local diagnosis was valuable and we could remove the mass by one stage operation via suboccipital transcervical approach.

We experienced a case of the papillary thyroid carcinoma seen as a huge solid lateral neck mass. The mass grew very slowly over the period of 30years up to 10cm in diameter while relatively well sparing the surrounding tissues. Physical examinations, CT scan, and fine needle aspiration cytology did not reveal any strong suggestions for evidence of malignancy. But it was pathologically diagnosed as metastatic thyroid carcinoma by excisional biopsy. We emphasize that for a large solitary neck mass which persists for several decades, head and neck surgeons should always keep in mind the possibility of metastasis from the malignancy of thyroid gland.