• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.189-197
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• 2008

Purpose: Peritoneal lavage cytology is regarded as a useful diagnostic test for detecting intraperitoneal micrometastsis. However, there are currently no reports about cytological examination with $ThinPrep^{(R)}$ (CY), a newly introduced fluid-based diagnostic system, in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). This study was performed to analyze the clinical significance of intraoperative peritoneal lavage for CY in AGC patients. Materials and Methods: 424 AGC patients were suspected to have serosal exposure macroscopically during surgery and they underwent intraoperative peritoneal lavage for CY between 2001 and 2006 at Korea Cancer Center Hospital. The clinical data, pathological data and CY results were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Results: The percentage of cytology positive results was 31.1%, and this was well correlated with the T-stage, N-stage and P-stage. The 3-year survival rates of CY0 and CY1 were 68.1% and 25.9%, respectively. According to the P-stage and CY, the 3-year survival rates were 71.1% in P0CY0, 38.9% in P0CY1, 38.5% in P1/2/3CY0 and 11.0% in P1/2/3CY1. Interestingly, both the P0CY1 and P1/2/3CY0 survival curves were similar figures, but they were significantly different from those of the other groups. Multivariate analysis indicated that CY was an independent, strong prognostic factor for survival, as well as sex, the T-stage, N-stage, P-stage, other metastasis and the serum CEA. CY1 was revealed as a risk factor for peritoneal recurrence in the curative resection group. Conclusion: The results certify indirectly that cytological examination using $ThinPrep^{(R)}$ is a very reliable diagnostic method for detecting intraperitoneal micrometastasis from the fact that it is not only a strong prognostic factor, but it is also a risk factor for peritoneal recurrence in AGC patients. Therefore intraoperative peritoneal lavage should be included in the routine intraoperative staging workup for AGC, and its result will provide a good target for the treatment of peritoneal micrometastasis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.1031-1038
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• 1998

Background: Most of malignant pleural effusions are serous but 8-33% of them are bloody. We wanted to evaluate the relationships between gross appearance and pleural CEA level or results of histocytology in malignancy associated pleural effusions. We also tried to reevaluate the meaning of CEA measurement in histocytologically proved or unproved malignancy associated pleural effusions. Methods: We studied 98 cases of malignancy associated pleural effusions, 50 cases of histocytologically proven malignant effusions and 48 cases of histocytologically unproven paramalignant effusions. We had observed gross appearance and conventional laboratory values and CEA levels for pleural effusions. Results: 44.9% of malignancy associated effusions were bloody(63.6% of bloody effusions were histocytologically proven malignant effusion). 65.0% of malignancy associated pleural effusions which have RBCs numbers over $100,000/mm^3$ were cytologically proven malignant effusions. 72.7% of cytologically proven malignant effusions had increased pleural fluid CEA level over 10 ng/ml. 58.2% of cases with pleural CEA over 10 ng/ml had positive results in pleural bistocytology. There was no definable relationships between pleural fluid CEA elevation and RBCs numbers and results of pleural fluid cytology. Conclusion: About half of the cases with malignancy associated pleural effusions were bloody. Histocytologically proven malignant effusions were more common in bloody effusion than non-bloody effusion(63.6% Vs 38.9%). But increased red blood cell numbers was not associated with positivity of pleural histocytology. Pleural fluid CEA elevation(over 10 ng/ml) was not correlated with positive pleural histocytology. But pleural fluid CEA elevation was rare in nonmalignant pleural effusions, and than pleural CEA measurement in uncertain pleural effusions maybe helpful to distinguishes its origin.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.364-368
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• 2009

자궁경부암은 다른 암과 달리 전암(前癌) 단계가 존재하므로 조기에 발견할 경우 생존율이 높다. 그러나 검체 적정성의 부족과 검체 체취의 오류로 인해 질병이 있음에도 음성으로 나타나는 위음성률이 높다. 따라서 본 논문에서는 세포 도말검사에서 사용되는 자궁 경부진 세포에서 암종 세포를 추출하는 방법을 제안한다. 영상의 배경 그리고 핵과 세포질 영역의 구분이 중요하기 때문에 조기 자궁 경부 세포진 영상에서 핵의 추출은 Lighting Compensation을 적용하여 영상을 보정하고, 명암도 분포가 가장 작은 B 채널과 명암도 분포가 높은 R채널과의 OR 연산을 적용한 후, $3{\times}3$마스크를 이용하여 잡음을 제거한다. 잡음이 제거된 영상을 이진화하고 Grassfire 알고리즘을 이용하여 암종 세포의 후보 객체를 추출한다. 추출된 세포 객체에서 핵의 크기, 핵의 면적과 핵의 외곽의 방향성 정보를 이용하여 백혈구와 잡음으로 구성된 객체를 제거한다. 세포 도말검사 과정에서 겹쳐진 부분은 거리 함수와 명암도를 이용하여 마커를 추출하고 추출된 마커 정보와 워터쉐드 알고리즘을 적용하여 겹쳐진 암종 세포를 분리한다. 자궁경부 편평 세포진 400 배율 영상과 자궁 경부 상피내 종양 400 배율 영상을 대상으로 실험한 결과, 기존의 자궁 경부진 암종 세포 추출 방법보다 효과적으로 암종 세포 영역이 추출되는 것을 확인하였다.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.169-180
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• 1999

Background: Uterine cervical cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the women in Korea. This study was undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of the cervicography as a screening test of cervical cancer. Materials and Methods: Cervicography was taken from 482 women at department of obstetrics and gynecology, at Yeungnam University Hospital from March 1, 1998 to October 31, 1999. Of the 482 women, 172 women were exc1uded from the study for various reasons, and 310 women completed the study. Three-hundred and ten women had cervical cytology (Papanicolaou smear), cervicography and colposcopy, and punch biopsy was undertaken if any of the test result was abnormal. Results: The most common age group was 35-39, and 40-44, 45-49 in order and most common reason for having a screening test was regular check for cervical cancer. The mean duration from the last Pap smear was 17.1 months, and 64 women(20.4%) never had any prior screening tests. Of the 310 women, 254 women were categorized as normal or having benign disease such as cervicitis, erosion or metaplasia. Biopsy was taken from 56 patients and the results were 26 chronic cervicitis, 4 mild dysplasia, 6 moderate dysplasia, 2 severe dysplasia, 14 carcinoma in situ and 4 invasive carcinoma. The results of cytology and cervicography were well correlated(p<0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of cytology were 86.7% and 76.9%, respectively and the sensitivity and specificity of cervicography were 56.7% and 96.2%, respectively. False negative rate of cervicography(43.3%) was much higher than those of cytology(13. 3%) (p<0.05), but false positive rate of cervicography(3.8%) was much lower than that of cytology(23.1%) (p<0.05). Conclusion: It seems inappropriate to use cervicography as a single screening test for cervival cancer, but it may be an effective complementary test for cytology to lower the false negative rate of cytology.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.195-207
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• 1998

폐암을 집단 검진으로 조기 진단하려는 노력은 현재까지 뚜렷한 성과를 얻지 못하고 있는 실정이다. 미국의 국립암연구소에서 실시한 흉부엑스선 촬영과 객담세포진 검사를 이용한 폐암의 집단 검진 결과는 검진군에서 대조군보다 유의하게 진단율이 높았으며 절제율도 더 높았고 5년 생존율도 향상시킬 수 있었다. 그러나 폐암을 조기 진단하기 위한 집단 검진의 궁극적인 목표인 사망률을 감소시키지는 못하였다. 최근에는 미국 국립암 연구기관에서 실시했던 결과에 대한 해석이 다양하여 아직까지도 폐암 조기 진단에 있어서 흉부액스선촬영과 객담세포진검사의 의의에 관한 결론에 대해서는 논란이 되고 있다. 1993년부터 새로운 집단 검진에 관한 연구가 진행중에 있어서 그 결과가 나올 때까지는 흉부엑스선촬영과 객담세포진검사를 이용한 집단 검진의 의의에 대한 결과는 기다려 보아야 할 것이다. 분자생물학적으로 폐암을 조기 검진하기 위한 검체로는 혈액보다는 객담이 훨씬 적절하고 합리적인 검체이다. 폐암의 발생은 가장 먼저 기관지 상피 세포에서 일어나서 암화 과정의 여러 단계에서 다양한 종양 표지자가 객담에 섞여 나오기 때문에 이 표지자를 객담에서 측정하는 것이 훨씬 합리적인 조기 진단법이 될 수 있다. 동시에 폐암을 집단 검진으로 조기 진단하기 위해서는 종양 표지자를 대량으로 측정하기 위한 자동측정법도 개발되어야 할 것이다. 암을 예방하기 위하여는 여러면에서 방안이 연구되어야 한다. 즉 암발생의 가능성이 높은 대상을 선태하여야 하며 초기에 집단 검진으로 진단을 할 수 있어야 하고, 이러한 검진으로 추적 검사가 가능하여야 하며 마지막으로 결과를 판정할 수 있어야 한다. 이 가운데 현재까지 유일하게 실시할 수 없는 것은 조기 진단으로 사용할 수 있는 뚜렷한 종양 표지자가 없는 것이다. 이와 같이 현재까지는 폐암을 조기 진단하기 위한 특이한 표지자는 없으나 앞으로 폐암 발생 기전의 여러 단계가 체계적으로 밝혀진다면 그 과정에서 중요한 표지자들이 밝혀질 것이다. 그리고 이들을 간단하게 검사할 수 있는 검사법도 밝혀져 폐암 조기 진단의 궁극적 목적인 폐암으로 인한 사망률을 감소시킬 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.6
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• pp.547-553
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• 2006

Background: Liquid-based cytology is currently known as an effective method, and cervical cytology has been shown to be especially effective from of malignancy detection. In our study, the cytological detection rates of the Thinprep (Liquid-based cytology) and conventional cytology (bronchial washing & brushing) for endobronchial lesions were compared. Methods: Between July 2005 and September 2005, the data from 30 patients with respiration symptom, who had shown abnormal lesion on bronchoscopy, were collected. Results: The bronchoscopic biopsy group was consisted of 30 cytodiagnosis specimens, 24 of which were confirmed to be malignant. The others were tuberculosis (4), bronchiectasis and bronchopulmonary fistula (1 each). Of the 24 malignant case, cancer or atypical cells were detected in 19, 17 and 12 of the Thinprep, brushing cytology and washing cytology cases, respectively. None one of the methods detected cancer cells in the non-malignant specimens. Washing cytology has shown sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 50, 100, 100 and 33.3% respectively. Brushing cytology has shown sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 70.8, 100, 100 and 46.2%, respectively. Thinprep has shown sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 79.2, 100, 100 and 54%, respectively. Conclusions: Thinprep (liquid-based cytology) showed better sensitivity and negative predictive values for the evaluation of lung cancer than conventional cytology. However a large-scale study will be needed in the future.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2008

Background: A diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion is clinically important, as the prognosis of lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion is poor. The diagnosis will be difficult if a cytological test is negative. This study was performed to investigate whether the detection of hypermethylation of the p16 (CDKN2A) and retinoic acid receptor b2 (RARB2) genes in pleural fluid is useful for a diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion. Methods: Pleural effusion was collected from 43 patients and was investigated for the aberrant promoter methylation of the RARB2 and CDKN2A genes by use of methylation-specific PCR. Results were compared with findings from a pleural biopsy and from pleural fluid cytology. Results: Of 43 cases, 17 cases of pleural effusion were due to benign diseases, and 26 cases were from lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion. Hypermethylation of the RARB2 and CDKN2A genes was not detected in the case of benign diseases, independent of whether or not the patients had ever smoked. In 26 cases of malignant pleural effusion, hypermethylation of RARB2, CDKN2A or either of these genes was detected in 14, 5 and 15 cases, respectively. The sensitivities of a pleural biopsy, pleural fluid cytology, hypermethylation of RARB2, hypermethylation of CDKN2A, or hypermethylation of either of the genes were 73.1%, 53.8%, 53.8%, 19.2%, and 57.7%, respectively; negative predictive values were 70.8%, 58.6%, 58.6%, 44.7%, and 60.7%, respectively. If both genes are considered together, the sensitivity and negative predictive value was lower than that for a pleural biopsy, but higher than that for pleural fluid cytology. The sensitivity of hypermethylation of the RARB2 gene for malignant pleural effusion was lower in small cell lung cancers than in non-small cell lung cancers. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that detection of hypermethylation of the RARB2 and CDKN2A genes showed a high specificity, and sensitivity was higher than for pleural fluid cytology. With a better understanding of the pathogenesis of lung cancer according to histological types at the molecular level, and if appropriate genes are selected for hypermethylation testing, more precise results may be obtained.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.354-362
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• 1994

Objectives and Methods : The presence of aneuploidy or high proliferative activity in cytologic specimens is considered as complementary for the diagnosis of malignancy. To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of DNA ploidy and cell cycle analysis in lung cancer, we compared the diagnostic yielding rates of DNA ploidy test by brushing specimens using flow cytometry with bronchoscopic forceps biopsy and brushing cytology. Results : Of the seventy-six cases, 55 cases proved to have malignant diseases(squamous cell cancer: 27, adenocarcinoma: 7, large cell cancer: 1, undifferentiated: 4 and small cell cancer: 16). The incidence of aneuploidy in lung cancer patients was 32.7%(18/55), as opposed to no cases in benign disease. And the proportion of high proliferative activity(S+G2M>22%) in lung cancer patients was 42.9%(15/35), but none in benign diseases. In fifty-six of 75 cases(74.7%), cytology of brushing specimens and DNA analysis(either aneuploidy or high proliferative activity vs. diploidy and low proliferative activity) were in concordance. The sensitivity with only brushing cytology was 41.8%(23/55), but with the addition of DNA analysis, it was increased to 56.4%(31/55), without decreasing the specificity(100%). And there was a case whose clue for malignancy was absent except aneuploidy, and he was confirmed to have squamous cell cancer following open thoracotomy. There were no differences in the frequency of aneuploidy or high proliferative activity between histologic subtypes of bronchogenic malignancy. Conclusions : The diagnostic detection rate of lung cancer was improved with the addition of DNA ploidy and cell cycle analysis, and the presence of aneuploidy or high proliferative activity was a relatively specific indicator of malignant disease. It would be useful to test DNA ploidy and cell cycle analysis with brushing specimen for the diagnosis of bronchogenic malignancy particularly in patients whose biopsy specimen could not be obtainable.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.1992-1998
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• 2007

It is important to obtain conn cytodiagnosis to classify background, cytoplasm, and nucleus from the diagnostic image. This study mose an algorithm that detects and classifies carcinoma cells of the uterine cervix in Pap smear using features of cervical cancer. It applies Median filter and Gaussian filter to get noise-removed nucleus area and also applies Kapur method in binarization of the resultant image. We apply 8-directional contour tracking algorithm and stretching technique to identify and revise clustered cells that often hinder to obtain correct analysis. The resulted nucleus area has distinguishable features such as cell size, integration rate, and directional coefficient from normal cells so that we can detect and classify carcinoma cells successfully. The experiment results show that the performance of the algorithm is competitive with human expert.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.293-313
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• 1997

이상에서 고찰하였듯이 현재까지는 어느 하나로 결정할 만한 선별 검사 방법이 없지만, 그 중에서 경질 초음파 검사와 color-flow Doppler 초음파 검사가 시행하기가 쉬우면서 민감하고 비교적 특이도가 높은 방법이라고 할 수 있다. 그러나 역학적인 면에서 조기 진단 혹은 선별 검사의 효율은 검사의 시행과 그에 따른 처치에 의해 사망률이 실제로 감소되었을 때 유의하다고 할 수 있으며, 이런 면에서 아직까지 난소암으로 인한 사망률을 감소시킬 만한 결정적인 선별 검사 방법은 알려져 있지 않다. 사망률이 1/3 감소되었음을 확인하는데 100,000명의 선별 검사자와 100,000명의 대조군이 필요하므로 앞으로 보다 많은 인구를 대상으로 한 역학적인 연구가 필요하다. 앞으로의 선별 검사에는 보다 특이도가 높은 종양 표지 물질의 개발, 초음파를 비롯한 진단 기기의 혁신적인 발달이 필요하며 이는 현재까지의 발전 상황으로 보아 실제로 가능할 것으로 생각된다. 이와 더불어 돌연변이를 일으킨 난소 상피 세포가 수 차례의 분열만 일으키더라도 그 유전자 산물을 검색해 낼 수 있고, 나아가서는 DNA 진단까지 가능한 분자 생물학적 혹은 세포 유전학전 진단 방법의 개발과 이용도 기대된다.