• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.10
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• pp.386-391
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• 2015

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes and prognostic factors in children with extracranial germ cell tumors (GCTs) treated at a single institution. Methods: Sixty-six children diagnosed with extracranial GCTs between 1996 and 2012 were included in the study. Primary treatment was surgical excision, followed by six cycles of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The survival rates were compared according to the International Germ Cell Cancer Cooperative Group classification used for GCTs in adults to validate the classification guidelines for GCTs in children. Results: The median patient age was 4.4 years. In 34 patients (51.5%), the primary tumor site was the gonad. Extragonadal GCTs were detected in 32 patients. The 5-year overall survival and event-free survival (EFS) were $92.0%{\pm}3.5%$ and $90.4%{\pm}3.7%$, respectively. In univariate analysis, tumor histology, metastasis, and elevated alpha-fetoprotein were not prognostic factors in children with extracranial GCTs. However, EFS was poorer in patients with mediastinal disease (n=12, $66.7%{\pm}13.6%$) than in those with nonmediastinal disease (n=54, $96.0%{\pm}2.8%$) (P=0.001). The 5-year EFS was lower in patients older than 10 years, (n=21, $80.0%{\pm}8.9%$) compared with those younger than 10 years (n=45, $95.2%{\pm}3.3%$) (P=0.04). Multivariate analysis identified the mediastinal tumor site as the only independent prognostic factor. Conclusion: The prognosis of children with extracranial GCTs was favorable. However, nongerminomatous mediastinal tumors were associated with poor survival in children. Further research is needed to improve the prognosis of children with malignant mediastinal GCTs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.347-352
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• 2006

A teratoma is the most common benign germ cell tumor that develops in the mediastinum. Patients with a mediastinal teratoma are usually asymptomatic. However, a spontaneous rupture of a mediastinal teratoma into the pleural cavity or adjacent organs can cause severe chest pain, hemoptysis, acute dyspnea, etc. Complications such as recurrent pneumonia, pericardial effusion, pleural effusion and great vessel invasion can sometimes occur. We encountered a case of a patient with an abrupt onset of dyspnea after persistent shoulder pain for one month. The X-ray examinations revealed a unilateral mediastinal mass with contralateral pleural effusion. Subsequent evaluations confirmed a spontaneous rupture of the teratoma into the contralateral pleural cavity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.6
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• pp.482-485
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• 2009

The middle mediastinum contains several important organs and pluripotent cells. It is difficult to make a definitive diagnosis in patients with middle mediastinal tumors due to a wide range of diseases. The likelihood of malignancy is influenced primarily by the following factors: patient age, size, tumor location, and the presence or absence of symptoms. We describe a case of a middle mediastinal tumor, which was suspected on chest x-ray; chest computed tomography revealed the eccentric mass of distal esophagus. This case emphasizes the diagnostic importance of the chest x-ray to the physicians. The possible differential diagnoses are reviewed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.134-140
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• 1989

A clinical evaluation was made on total 207 cases of corrosive esophageal stricture after ingestion of various corrosive substances and 173 cases of neoplasms in the esophagus and the cardia. The various complications associated with esophageal corrosion were observed on 28 cases [13.5%] in a total of 207 cases. Pathoanatomic findings of complication may be classified to the five category as follow; [1] stenosis in the pharynx due to adhesion of the epiglottis, [2] esophagobronchial fistula, [3] esophageal perforation with bougienation, [4] necrotic rupture of the esophagus and the stomach, and [5] so-called chronic corrosive gastritis. The comparative studies were done on a total of 165 cases of the various procedures of esophagoplasty to the reconstruction of the esophagus, which consists of antethoracal esophagoplasty with jejunum, retrosternal esophagoplasty with jejunum, retrosternal esophagoplasty with right colon, and retrosternal esophagoplasty with left colon. There is no hard and fast rule in selection of jejunum, right colon or left colon as the transplanting bowel and an operative method either antethoracal or retrosternal approach. When there was no possibility of the complication and no any defect of the anatomical states, one stage retrosternal esophagoplasty using right colon was better in various points of view. The 173 patients of the neoplasm of the esophagus consist of 28 cases of benign tumors and 145 cases of malignant tumors in the esophagus and cardia. 28 cases of benign tumors in the esophagus received the surgical treatment and they obtained with excellent results postoperatively. Of the 145 patients of esophageal carcinoma who received surgical managements, 101 cases [69.6%] were found to be operable and 44 cases [30.3%] were inoperable. Due to the various level of carcinoma in the esophagus, the following different surgical procedure was properly used case by case to get the best results in each case. Esophageal carcinoma in the upper and middle third segment received the total esophagectomy and the reconstruction of the esophagus using right colon by substernal procedure. Esophageal carcinoma in the lower third segment received an esophagojejunostomy in the mediastinum after the resection of lower third segment of the esophagus. Carcinoma in the esophago cardia and the stomach received also an esophagojejunostomy after the resection of the lower third segment of the esophagus and subtotal gastrectomy. For the 44 patients with inoperable carcinoma, the several palliative surgical managements such as gastrostomy or jejunostomy for feeding and esophagojejunostomy for bypass of the lower esophagus and the stomach were properly performed case by case for their maximum improvement.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.5 s.274
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• pp.356-361
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• 2007

Background: Recent progress in the surgical therapy for lung cancer is one of the best examples of the successful evolution of clinical medicine. We reviewed our experience to evaluate the surgical outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Material and Method: We reviewed clinical records of 432 consecutive patients with proven non-small cell lung cancer who underwent complete removal of the primary tumor together with hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes from 1995 to 2005. The clinical characteristics, surgical methods, and recurrence patterns were analyzed. Result: Lobectomy was the most common procedure (66.7%) performed and sleeve lobectomy was the least (5.6%). In 179 patients (42.6%) the recurrence was noted and the regional recurrence (67 cases, 16.0%) was less than systemic recurrence (112 cases, 26.7%). The main sites of regional recurrence were hilum (25 cases, 37.3%) and ipsilateral mediastinum (54/432 cases, 25.4%). The hospital mortality rate was 2.8% (12/432 cases) and resection-morbidity rate was 12.5% (54/432 cases). Conclusion: The low recurrence rate, especially regional recurrence rate indicated that our surgical procedures with preoperative measures were considered useful and effective.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.303-310
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• 2003

Background : Lymphangioma of the mediastinum is an uncommon benign tumor of lymphatic origin that is most often seen in children, is very rare in adults and is frequently discovered incidentally on chest x-ray exams. While radiology (CT and MRI) may suggest the diagnosis and allow an assessment of the operative difficulties, the histology of the surgical specimen is required for precise diagnosis. Complete resection is the only treatment; however, in some patients resection was incomplete because of the infiltrating character of these tumors, leading to recurrence. We report three cases of mediastinal lymphangioma with a review of the literature.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.70 no.4
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• pp.347-351
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• 2011

We report here an unusual case of pericardial tuberculoma that was misdiagnosed as thymic carcinoma on an imaging study. A 48-year-old woman was referred for evaluation of an anterior mediastinal mass. Computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest displayed cystic masses mimicking thymic carcinoma at the anterior mediastinum. Pericardiotomy and surgical drainage of the cystic masses were done, and pathologic examination of the excised pericardial specimen showed a chronic granulomatous inflammation with necrosis, compatible with tuberculosis. Acid-fast bacilli were also identified in the specimen. After treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs and steroids, the patient showed clinical improvement. Although tuberculous pericarditis usually presents as pericardial effusion or constrictive pericarditis, it can also present as a pericardial mass mimicking thymic carcinoma on CT. Therefore, we suggest that tuberculous pericardial abscess should be included in the differential diagnosis of a mediastinal mass in Korea, with intermediate tuberculosis prevalence.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.5
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• pp.1246-1257
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• 2021

Purpose To assess the predictive factors and describe the imaging features of mediastinal lymph node (MLN) metastases in patients with head and neck cancer. Materials and Methods We compared the clinical features and disease characteristics (sex, age, site of primary tumor, histologic type, history of prior treatments, TNM stages, and metastasis in cervical LNs) of patients with head and neck cancers between the MLN metastasis and no MLN metastasis groups. We also evaluated the chest CT (distribution and maximum dimension of the largest LN) and PET/CT (maximum standardized uptake value) features of MLN metastases based on the MLN classification. Results Of the 470 patients with head and neck cancer, 55 (11.7%) had MLN metastasis, involving 150 mediastinal stations. Hypopharynx cancer, recurrent tumor, T4 stage, N2/N3 stages, and M1 stage were found to be significant predicting factors for MLN metastasis. The most common location of MLN metastasis was ipsilateral station 2 (upper paratracheal LNs, 36.4%), followed by ipsilateral station 11 (interlobar LNs, 27.3%) and ipsilateral station 10 (hilar LNs, 25.5%). Conclusion Metastasis to MLNs should be considered in patients with head and neck cancer, especially in cases that are associated with a hypopharyngeal cancer, recurrent tumor, and high TNM stages.