• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

Over several decades, a hierarchical cancer stem cell (CSC) model has been established in development of solid cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). In terms of this concept, HCCs originate from liver CSCs. Clinically HCCs show a wide range of manifestations from slow growth to very aggressive metastasis. One of the reasons may be that liver CSCs originate from different cells. This review describes the basic concept of CSCs and the cellular origin of liver CSCs.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.156-156
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• 2022

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2001

Purpose: Submucosal gastric carcinomas metastasize to lymph nodes more often than the intramucosal gastric carcinomas. The objectives of this study are to clarify the characteristics of submucosal gastric carcinomas, especially in reference to the status of lymph node metastasis, and to explore the possibility of a minimally invasive operation. Materials and Methods: The clinicopathologic features of 88 patients with submucosal gastric carcinoma, all of whom were treated with a $D_{2}+\alpha$ gastrectomy between January 1994 and December 1999, were examined retrospectively with respect to the status of lymph nodes. The size, depth of submucosal invasion, histologic differentiation, location,and macroscopic finding of the tumor were investigated in association with the presence or the absence of lymph node metastasis. Results: Among the 88 patients, 15 ($17.05\%$) had lymph node metastasis, and the status of metastasis was significantly correlated with tumor size and depth of submucosal invasion. The frequency of metastasis was $0\%$ (0/7) of up to 1.0 cm and $18.5\%$ (15/81) over 1.0 cm in size (p=0.034) and $6.1\%$ (2/33) of up to 1.0mm and $23.6\%$ (13/55) over 1.0 mm in depth of submucosal invasion (p=0.042). Conclusion: The tumor size and depth of submucosal invasion are useful indicators of lymph node metastasis in submucosal gastric carcinoma. A minimally invasive operation can be applied for submucosal gastric carcinoma up to 1.0 cm in size Further studies are needed to limited surgery for depth of submucosal invasion.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.128-135
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• 2009

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare synchronous and metachronous hepatic metastases in patients with gastric cancer to determine clinicopathologic features and differences in prognosis as a function of the timing of the metastasis and the treatment modality rendered. Materials and Methods: Sixty-seven patients who were diagnosed with gastric cancer metastatic to the liver and treated at the Hanyang University Hospital between June 1992 and December 2006 were retrospectively analyzed to study the pertinent clinicopathologic features and effect of treatment methods. Results: There was a significant difference with respect to lymphatic (P=0.041) and vascular invasion (P=0.036) in comparing the clinicopathologic features between the patients with synchronous and metachronous hepatic metastases. The 1-year survival rate and median survival time of patients with gastric cancer and liver metastases were 38.9% and 9.2 months in the entire patient cohort, 30.9% and 9.2 months in the synchronous group, and 44.5% and 9.7 months in the metachronus group, respectively (P=0.436). The group of patients undergoing local treatment (such as surgery and radiologic intervention) followed by systemic chemotherapy, the group of patients receiving systemic chemotherapy only, and the untreated group of patients were compared, and there was no difference between the synchronous and metachronous groups. The synchronous and metachronous groups had high survival rates with local treatment. Conclusion: In patients with gastric cancer and liver metastases, there was no difference in prognosis based on the timing of the hepatic metastases. Independent of the timing of hepatic metastasis, aggressive treatment, such as surgery and radiologic intervention, may help improve the prognosis.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.113-119
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• 2005

Purpose: Some controversies exist over the prognostic values of lymphatic, venous, and neural invasion in patients with gastric cancer. This study was conducted to confirm the prognostic values of these histopathologic factors in gastric cancer patients who received a gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: Data for clinicopathologic factors and clinical outcomes were collected retrospectively from the medical records of 1,018 gastric cancer patients who received a gastrectomy at Yeungnam University Medical Center between January 1995 and December 1999. A statistical analysis was done using the SPSS program for Windows (Version 10.0, SPSS Inc., USA). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for the survival analysis. Prognostic factors were analyzed by using a multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results: Ages ranged from 21 to 79 (median age, 56). A univariate analysis revealed that age, tumor size, location, gross type, depth of invasion, extent of gastrectomy or lymph node dissection, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, neural invasion, pathologic stage, histologic type, and curability of surgery had statistical significance. Among these factors, lymph node metastasis, curability of surgery, neural invasion, lymphatic invasion, and depth of invasion were found to be independent prognostic factors by using a multivariate analysis. Venous invasion showed no prognostic value in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Neural invasion and lymphatic invasion are useful parameters in determining a prognosis for gastric cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3513-3518
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• 2014

The 14-3-3 protein has been shown to be involved in the cancer process. However, there is no understanding of the relationship between 14-3-$3{\gamma}$ (14-3-3 gamma) expression and prognosis in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. In this study, we therefore investigated the association between protein levels by immunohistochemistry and clinicopathological features of advanced NSCLC patients. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and tested by log-rank. Multivariate analysis was conducted with the Cox's regression model to determine independence of factors. p values less than 0.05 were considered significant. A total 153 patients were studied, with 54.3% being stage III and 45.8% stage IV. Fifty-one cases (33.3%) were squamous cell carcinomas, and 98 cases (64.1%) were adenocarcinomas. High 14-3-$3{\gamma}$ expression was seen in 59.5% and significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (p=0.010) and distant metastasis (p=0.017). On Kaplan-Meier analysis, high 14-3-$3{\gamma}$ expression was associated with poorer survival with a marginal trend toward significance (p=0.055). On multivariate analysis, age, treatment, and 14-3-$3{\gamma}$ expression proved to be independent prognostic parameters. In vitro experiments indicated that 14-3-$3{\gamma}$ overexpression also played a potential role in cancer invasion. In conclusion, our data suggest that 14-3-$3{\gamma}$ overexpression is associated with invasion and a poor prognosis. Therefore, 14-3-$3{\gamma}$ may be a potential prognostic marker of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.87-91
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• 2022

Aurora kinase is a family of serine/threonine kinases intimately associated with mitotic progression and the development of human cancers. Studies have shown that aurora kinases are important for the protein kinase C (PKC)-induced invasion of colon cancer cells. Recent studies have shown that aurora kinase A promotes distant metastasis by inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in colon cancer cells. However, the role of aurora kinase A in colon cancer metastasis remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of aurora kinase A on PKC-induced cell invasion, migration, and EMT in human SW480 colon cancer cells. Treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) changed the expression levels of EMT markers, increasing α-SMA, vimentin, and MMP-9 expression and decreasing E-cadherin expression, with changes in cell morphology. TPA treatment induced EMT in a PKC-dependent manner. Moreover, the inhibition of aurora kinase A by siRNAs and inhibitors (reversine and VX-680) suppressed TPA-induced cell invasion, migration, and EMT in SW480 human colon cells. Inhibition of aurora kinase A blocked TPA-induced vimentin and MMP-9 expression, and decreased E-cadherin expression. Furthermore, the knockdown of aurora kinase A decreased the transcriptional activity of NF-κB and AP-1 in PKC-stimulated SW480 cells. These findings indicate that aurora kinase A induces migration and invasion by inducing EMT in SW480 colon cancer cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that showed aurora kinase A is a key molecule in PKC-induced metastasis in colon cancer cells.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.9-18
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• 2008

Objective : The purpose of this paper is to report the improvement of the patient with paraplegia after acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine. Methods : We treated the patient with acupuncture, moxibustion and herbal medication. Results : We treated one case of paraplegia. This patient improved significantly through acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, and western medicine. Conclusion : Through a collaboration of Western and Korean medicine, we were able to achieve meaningful treatment results.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.257-260
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• 2001

It is well known that bronchogenic carcinoma frequently metastasize to bony skeleton, although it is unusual for it to metastasize to soft tissue in the form of a musculoskeletal abscess. We report a bronchogenic cancer patient presenting with back pain after undergoing a celiac plexus block. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated inflammation with an abscess of the paraspinal muscle from T12 to L5; however, it was subsequently diagnosed as a metastatic pleomorphic carcinoma by histopathological study.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3043-3051
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• 2016

Controlled remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential for cell growth, invasion and metastasis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of secreted, zinc-dependent endopeptidases capable of degradation of ECM components. The expression and activity of MMPs in a variety of human cancers have been intensively studied. They play important roles at different steps of malignant tumor formation and have central significance in embryogenesis, tissue remodeling, inflammation, angiogenesis and metastasis. However, increasing evidence demonstrates that MMPs are involved earlier in tumorigenesis. Recent studies also suggest that MMPs play complex roles in tumor progression. MMPs and membrane type (MT)-MMPs are potentially significant therapeutic targets in many cancers, so that designing of specific MMP inhibitors would be helpful for clinical trials. Here, we review the pleiotropic roles of the MMP system in hematological malignancies in-vitro and in-vivo models.