• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.8-18
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to verify that the expressions of angiogenin, transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-${\beta}$), vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease(APEX) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-${\alpha}$) were associated with the tumorigenesis of the oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC). Materials and Methods: Fifty-one samples of OSCC and fifteen normal oral mucosae were obtained to analyze the expression levels of above five factors. mRNA expressions were quantified by the quantitative competitive PCR(QC-PCR) method. After 2% agarose gel electrophoresis stained with ethidium bromide, the concentration of mRNA was calculated by a digital image analysis system. The expression levels of angiogenin, TGF-${\beta}$, VEGF, APEX and TNF-${\alpha}$ were compared by unpaired Student's t-tests between cancer and normal tissues. We analyzed statistically to find the cut-off values that would be useful as diagnostic markers, and the linear regression analysis between every two factors of these five factors by SAS system. Results: All of these five factors (angiogenin: P<0.0037, TGF-${\beta}$: P<0.0001, VEGF: P<0.0102, APEX: P<0.0023, TNF-${\alpha}$: P<0.0074) were significantly correlated with OSCC. In the analysis to find the cut-off values for the diagnosis, we could not find any value that had a reasonable sensitivity and specificity. In the linear regression analysis, there were correlations between angiogenin and TNF-${\alpha}$, TGF-${\beta}$ and VEGF, TGF-${\beta}$ and APEX, TGF-${\beta}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$, VEGF and APEX, VEGF and TNF-${\alpha}$, APEX and TNF-${\alpha}$. Conclusion: Our results suggest that not only angiogenin, TGF-${\beta}$, VEGF, APEX and TNF-${\alpha}$ are significantly associated with the tumorigenesis, but also the close relationship between these factors might enhance the tumorigenesis of OSCC. We can not find clinical availability for diagnosis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.263-269
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• 2022

Cancer cachexia-anorexia is a multi-organ metabolic syndrome characterized by anorexia and weight loss. Generally, such symptoms are a serious problem in cancer patients, adversely affecting chemotherapy success and survival rate. Cachexia has been reported to accompany up to 80% of gastrointestinal cancers, such as pancreatic, lung, and colon cancer, though it is relatively rare in lymphoma or breast cancer patients. It is also known that cancer-induced anorexia occurs independently of chemotherapy, although decreased appetite due to chemotherapy is well reported. In terms of pathoflammatory cytokines that are excessively increased by tumor tissues. Since the mechanism of cancer cachexia is not yet fully understood, there are currently no therapeutic agents or diagnostic markers to treat it. A recently published study identified a substance secreted from cancer cells that induces cancer anorexia, and the molecular mechanism causing the eating disorder was discovered. An increase in the expression of this substance has been shown to be statistically correlated with the symptoms of cachexia in cancer patients, and it is therefore expected to be applicable in the diagnosis and development of therapeutic agents for cancer cachexia. This review article aims to provide an overview of the key molecular mechanisms of the anorexia and tissue wasting caused by cancer cachexia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.240-246
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• 2024

Epithelioid angiosarcoma is a rare variant of angiosarcoma characterized by an epithelioid morphology that mimics carcinoma. Therefore, multicentric epithelioid angiosarcoma is easily misdiagnosed as bone metastasis from carcinoma and has an aggressive clinical course. Here, we present a rare case of a 61-year-old male with multicentric epithelioid angiosarcoma of the bone. Plain radiography, CT, and MRI revealed multiple osteolytic lesions in both femurs; some lesions showed soft tissue extension with cortical bone destruction. Interestingly, PET-CT revealed that the lesions were only distributed along the bones of the lower extremities, including the pelvic bones, femurs, and tibiae. Despite histological analysis initially suggesting metastatic carcinoma, after additional immunohistological staining, including that for vascular markers (CD31 and ERG), the final diagnosis was epithelioid angiosarcoma. A better understanding of the clinicoradiological features of this disease may help eliminate diagnostic confusion and provide better management.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.353-361
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• 2007

Background: Malignancies are a common and important causes of exudative pleural effusions. Several tumor markers have been studied because the pleural fluid cytology and pleural biopsy specimens do not provide a diagnosis in a high percentage of malignant effusions. In an attempt to overcome this limitation, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein (CRP) in pleural effusions and serum, which are known to be inflammation markers, were measured to determine if they can differentiate an exudate from trasndate as well as the diverse causes of exudative pleural effusion. Methods: 178 consecutive patients with pleural effusion (malignant 57, tuberculous 51, parapneumonic 31, empyema 5, miscellaneous benign 7, transudative 27)were studied prospectively. The standard parameters of pleural effusion and measured serum and pleural procalcitonin were examined using in immunoluminometric assay. The level of CRP in serum and pleural fluid was determined by turbidimetric immunoassay. Results: The pleural procalcitonin levels in the exudate were significantly higher than those in the transudate, $0.81{\pm}3.09ng/mL$ and $0.12{\pm}0.12ng/mL$, respectively (p=0.007). The pleural CRP levels were significantly higher in the exudate than the transudate, $2.83{\pm}3.31mg/dL$ and $0.74{\pm}0.67mg/dL$, respectively (p<0.001). The pleural procalcitonin levels in the benign effusion were significantly higher than those in the malignant effusion, $1.15{\pm}3.82ng/mL$ and $0.25{\pm}0.92ng/mL$, respectively (p=0.032). The pleural CRP levels were significantly higher in the benign effusion than in the malignant effusion, $3.68{\pm}3.78mg/dL$ and $1.42{\pm}1.54mg/dL$, respectively (p<0.001). The pleural procalcitonin levels in the non-tuberculous effusion were significantly higher than those in the tuberculous effusion, $1.16{\pm}3.75ng/mL$ and $0.13{\pm}0.37ng/mL$, respectively (p=0.008). Conclusion: Measuring the level of procalcitonin and CRP in the pleural fluid is helpful for differentiating between transudates and exudates. In addition, it is useful for differentiating between benign and malignant pleural effusions.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.372-380
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of whole body F-18 FDG PET scan for detecting postoperative recurrence of cancer. One hundred four cancer patients after operation were enrolled(14 brain tumor, 15 head and neck cancer, 23 gynecologic cancer, 16 gastrointestinal cancer, 16 thyroid cancer, and 20 other cancers). Besides conventional images(CI) including CT and MRI, F-18 FDG PET scan was obtained on ECAT EXACT 47 scanner(Siemens-CTI), beginning 60 minutes after injection of 370MBq(10mCi) of F-18 FDG. Regional scan was also obtained with emission image. Transmission images using Ge-68 were carried out for attenuation correction in both whole body and regional images. Findings of PET, and CI were confirmed by pathology or clinical follow up. The sensitivity and specificity of PET for detecting recurrence were 94% and 92%, respectively. Contrarily, the sensitivity and specificity of CI were 78% and 68%. CI results were negative and PET results were positive in 11 cases. The biopsy or clinical follow-up of those cases confirmed recurrence of tumor. False negative cases of CI were frequent in patients with gynecologic cancers. Also we measured the serum concentration of tumor markers in patients with gynecologic cancer(CA125), thyroid cancer(thyroglobulin), and colorectal cancer(CEA). The sensitivity and specificity of tumor markers were 71% and 84%, respectively, We conclude that F-18 FDG PET can be used valuably in detecting recurrent foci of a wide variety of malignancy compared to conventional diagnostic methods.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.899-906
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• 1997

Background : The percutaneous pleural needle biopsy have been regarded as cornerstone in the diagnosis of lymphocyte dominant pleural effusions of which acid fast bacilli smear and cytologic exam was negative. However, the complications of percutaneous pleural needle biopsy is not rare and its diagnostic efficacy is not always satisfactory. Recently, pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) are widely accepted as markers of tuberculous pleurisy and malignant pleural effusion respectively. We designed this study to re-evaluate the role of percutaneous pleural needle biopsy in the diagnosis of lymphocyte dominant exudative pleural effusions whose AFB smear, cytologic exam was negative. Method : Retrospective analysis of 73 cases of percutaneous pleural needle biopsy in case of lymphocyte dominant exudative pleural effusions whose AFB smear and cytoloic exam was negative from Jan 1994 to Feb 1996 was done. Result : In 35 cases, specific diagnosis was obtained(all cases were tuberculous pleurisy), and in 30 cases specific diagnosis was not obtained in spite of getting adequate pleural tissues, and in the other 8 cases, percutaneous pleural biopsy failed to get pleural tissues. In 9 cases, complications were combined including pneuomothorax and hemothorax. All 49 cases of pleural effusions whose ADA value was higher than 40IU/L and satisfying other categories were finally diagnosed as tuberculous pleurisy, however, the pleural biopsy confirmed only 28 cases as tuberculous pleurisy. In 6 cases of pleural effusions of which CEA value is higher than 10ng/ml, the pleural biopsy made specific diagnosis in no case. Final diagnosis of above 6 cases consisted of 4 malignant effusions, 1 malignancy associated effusion and 1 tuberculous pleurisy. Conclusion : In the diagnosis of 73 cases of lymphocyte dominant pleural effusions of which acid fast bacilli smear and cytologic exam was negative, percutaneous pleural biopsy diagnosed only in 35 cases. In the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy, the positive predictive value of higher ADA than 40 IU/L in lymphocyte dominant pleural effusion with negative AFB smear and negative cytologic exam was 100%. And the diagnostic efficacy of pleural biopsy was 57%. In cases of effusions with high CEA than 10ng/ml 83% and 0% respectively. Finally, we concluded that percutaneous pleural needle biopsy in the diagnosis of AFB smear negative and cytologic exam negative lymphocyte dominant exudative pleural effusion was not obligatory. especially in effusions with high ADA and low CEA value.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.19-32
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• 2006

Genomic DNA isolated from two species of Korean freshwater crab(Eriocheir sinensis) and swimming crab(Portunus trituberculatus) was amplified several times by PCR reactions. The seven arbitrarily selected primers OPA-05, OPA-13, OPA-16, OPB-06, OPB-15, OPB-17 and OPD-10 were used to generate the identical, polymorphic, and specific fragments. 505 fragments were identified in the freshwater crab species, and 513 in the swimming crab from Buan: 81 specific fragments(16.0%) in the freshwater crab species and 100(19.5%) in the swimming crab. 165 identical fragments, with an average of 23.6 per primer, were observed in the freshwater crab species. 66 fragments, with an average of 9.4 per primer, were identified in the swimming crab species. The numbers of polymorphic fragments in the freshwater crab and swimming crab were 50 and 14, respectively. The oligonucleotides decamer primer OPB-17 generated identical DNA fragments, approximately 300 bp, in both the freshwater crab and swimming crab species. Compared separately, the average genetic difference was higher in the swimming crab than in the freshwater crab species. The average genetic difference was $0.726{\pm}0.004$ between the freshwater crab and swimming crab species. The dendrogram obtained by the seven primers indicates four genetic clusters: cluster 1(FRESHWATER 01), cluster 2(FRESHWATER 02, 03, 04, 05 and 06), cluster 3(FRESHWATER 07, 08, 09, 10 and 11), and cluster 4(SWIMMING 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22). The shortest genetic distance displaying significant molecular difference was between individuals SWIMMING no. 18 and SWIMMING no. 17 from swimming crab(0.096). Ultimately, individual no. 02 of the freshwater crab was most distantly related to freshwater crab no. 03(genetic distance = 0.770). As stated above, the potential of RAPD-PCR to identify diagnostic markers for the identification of two crab species has been demonstrated.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.625-630
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• 2005

Background : Determining the cause of an exudative pleural effusion is sometimes quite difficult, especially between malignant and tuberculous effusions. Twenty percent of effusions remain undiagnosed even after a complete diagnostic evaluation, including pleural biopsy. The activity of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), which is the one of proinflammatory cytokines, is increased in both infectious and malignant effusions. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic efficiency of TNF-${\alpha}$ activity in distinguishing tuberculous from malignant effusions. Methods : 46 patients (13 with malignant pleural effusion, 33 with tuberculous pleural effusion) with exudative pleurisy were included. TNF-${\alpha}$ concentrations were measured in the pleural fluid and serum samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio (pleural fluid TNF-${\alpha}$ : serum TNF-${\alpha}$) was calculated. Results : TNF-${\alpha}$ concentration and TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio in the pleural fluid were significantly higher in the tuberculous effusions than in the malignant effusions (p<0.05). However, the serum levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ in the malignant and tuberculous pleural effusions were similar (p>0.05). The cut off points for the pleural fluid TNF-${\alpha}$ level and TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio were found to be 136.4 pg/mL and 6.4, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve were 81%, 80% and 0.82 for the pleural fluid TNF-${\alpha}$ level (p<0.005) and 76%, 70% and 0.72 for the TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio (p<0.05). Conclusion : We conclude that pleural fluid TNF-${\alpha}$ level and TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio can distinguish a malignant pleural effusion from a tuberculous effusion, and can be additional markers in a differential diagnosis of tuberculous and malignant pleural effusion. The level of TNF-${\alpha}$ in the pleural fluid could be a more efficient marker than the TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.290-298
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• 2007

Background: The currently available diagnostic markers for pleural effusion have a limited role. The soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) is a molecule recently reported to play an important role in the myeloid cell mediated inflammatory response, and is up regulated in the body fluid by bacterial or fungal products. This study examined the expression of sTREM-1 in pleural effusion. Methods: Between April 2004 and December 2005, 48 patients with pleural effusions were enrolled in this study. The pleural fluids were taken and analyzed for the total protein, glucose, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), adenosine deaminase (ADA), and sTREM-1. Bacterial cultures and cytology tests were also performed. Results: The clinical diagnoses were 17 parapneumonic, 14 tuberculous, and 13 malignant effusions. Four patients presented with transudates. The mean ages of the parapneumonic, tuberculous and malignant effusion groups were $57.1{\pm}19.7$, $49.5{\pm}18.6$, $66.9{\pm}15.5$, and $76.0{\pm}18.1$. respectively. The level of sTREM-1 expression was significantly higher in the parapneumonic effusions ($344.0{\pm}488.7$) than in the tuberculous effusions ($81.7{\pm}56.6$) and malignant effusions ($39.3{\pm}19.6$). With a cut-off value of 55.4pg/ml, the sensitivity and specificity for a parapneumonic effusion was 70.6% and 74.1%. Conclusion: sTREM-1 expression is significantly higher in parapneumonic effusions, suggesting its potential role as an additional diagnostic marker for pleural effusions.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.78-82
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• 2010

Purpose: Recently, South Korea has seen a rapidly increased incidence of both breast and thyroid cancers. As a result, the I-131 scan and lymphoscintigraphy have been performed more frequently. Although this type of diagnostic imaging is prominent in that visualizes pathological conditions, which is similar to previous nuclear diagnostic imaging techniques, there is not much anatomical information obtained. Accordingly, it has been used in different ways to help find anatomical locations by transmission scan, however the results were unsatisfactory. Therefore, this study aims to realize an imaging technique which shows more anatomical information through the fusion of gamma and realistic imaging. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the data from patients who were examined by the lymphoscintigraphy and I-131 additional scan by Symbia Gamma camera (SIEMENS) in the nuclear medicine department of the National Cancer Center from April to July of 2009. First, we scanned the same location in patients by using a miniature camera (R-2000) in hyVISION. Afterwards, we scanned by gamma camera. The data we obtained was evaluated based on the scanning that measures an agreement of gamma and realistic imaging by the Gamma Ray Tool fusion program. Results: The amount of radiation technicians and patients were exposed was generated during the production process of flood source and applied transmission scan. During this time, the radiation exposure dose of technicians was an average of 14.1743 ${\mu}Sv$, while the radiation exposure dose of patients averaged 0.9037 ${\mu}Sv$. We also confirmed this to matching gamma and realistic markers in fusion imaging. Conclusion: Therefore, we found that we could provide imaging with more anatomical information to clinical doctors by fusion of system of gamma and realistic imaging. This has allowed us to perform an easier method in which to reduce the work process. In addition, we found that the radiation exposure can be reduced from the flood source. Eventually, we hope that this will be applicable in other nuclear medicine studies. Therefore, in order to respect the privacy of patients, this procedure will be performed only after the patient has agreed to the procedure after being given a detailed explanation about the process itself and its advantages.