• 대한세포병리학회지
• /
• 제7권1호
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 1996

19세기말과 20세기초에 각각 비르효와 파파니콜로에 의해 명료하게 된 세포 병리학과 탈락세포학의 개념에서 오늘날의 암진단의 일차적인 방법이 발전해 왔다. 파파니콜로의 탈락세포학의 개념에서 1960년대 초반에 세침흡인 세포검사가 개발되었다. 이 세침흡인 세포검사는 주된 진단방법이 되어져, 절개생검을 감소하게 하고 의료비용의 효과적인 이용에 공헌하였다. 1980년대에는 면역생화학적 기술들이 암 진단에 보충역활을 하게 되었다. 단 클론 항체를 이용하는 면역과산화효소법이 먼저 암의 본성을 밝히는 보조적인 방법으로 쓰여졌다. 특정 단클론 항체들이 이용가능하게 되어 세포산물이나 표면 표지자들을 인지하는 것을 훨씬 용이하게 하였다. 예를 들면 중간세사에 대한 항체들이 분화가 나쁜 종양의 조직기원을 결정하는데 가치가 있는 것이 증명되었다. 종양표지자들은 종양존재의 생화학적 표시자로 이용될 수도 있는데 이러한 종양표지자들은 혈장이나 다른 체액들에서 검출할 수 있다. 이 종양표지자들을 농출한 것을 진단적 검사에 이용하여 이미 진단된 암의 임상 경과를 추적하고 암 발생의 위험이 있는 집단에서 특정 종양을 발견해 내기 위한 선별검사로써 이용할 수 있다. 유세포 검사는 백혈병이나 림프종 세포들의 면역표현형을 알아내고, 종양세포들의 DNA함유량을 알아내며, 세포증식율을 알아내는 등의 몇가지의 세포의 특성을 분류해내는데 유용한 도구이다. 분자생물학적 방법들은, 암 환자를 진료하는데 있어 진단, 예후평가 및 치료 등의 분야에서 일보 전진하게 하였다. 핵산교잡법이 Southern blots, Nothern blot, Dot blot 및 in situ hybridization으로 이용된다. 분자생물학 및 그 기술이 암종 생물학을 이해하고 유전자 조작을 기초로한 치료법을 계획하는데 밝은 새로운 지평선을 열어줄 수 있을 것이다.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• 제13권2호
• /
• pp.272-278
• /
• 1996

B형 간염 표면항원(HBsAg)의 4가지 주요 아형 조사를 통해 HBsAg과 B형 간염표면항체가 모두 양성인 환자에서 항원과 항체의 아형이 다름을 밝힘으로 항원-항체 공존을 이해하게 되었으며, 감염경로를 추적하는 역학적 조사, 인구이동양상의 지표에 유용하게 사용될 수 있다. 현재까지 우리나라의 HBV 아형에 관한 연구는 전체적인 빈도의 조사나 HBsAg과 anti-HBs가 공존하는 경우에서 아형이 가지는 의미에 대한 것이 전부였다. 본 연구에서는 영남대학교 의과대학 부속병원에서 만성 간질환으로 진단받고 경과추적중인 HBsAg 양성인 환자 214명을 대상으로 혈청에 존재하는 HBsAg 아형을 단세포군 항체를 이용한 혈청학적 방법으로 조사하였다. 214명의 검체중 206명(93.9%)에서 adr, 6명(2.8%)에서 adw, 2명(0.9%)에서 ayr, 2명(0.9%)에서 ar, 3명(1.4%)에서 adwr로 나타났으며 ayw는 한 례에서도 발견되지 않았다. 아형과 질환의 중증도 사이에는 유의한 연관성은 발견되지 않았다. 결론적으로 만성 간질환 환자에서 adr이 가장 많고 질환의 중증도와 아형간에 유의한 연관성은 발견되지 않았지만, 아형이 만성 B형 바이러스 간염의 간경변증이나 간세포암으로의 진행과 예후에 영향을 미치는지 밝히기 위해서는 좀 더 연구를 진행하여야 할 것이다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권12호
• /
• pp.4933-4938
• /
• 2014

Background: Although various tumor markers have been utilized in management of stomach cancer (SC), only a few reports have described relevance of examples such as CYFRA 21-1 and neuron-specific enolase (NSE). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential diagnostic performance of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA 19-9, CA72-4, CYFRA 21-1 and NSE in patients with SC. Materials and Methods: Ninety-six SC patients with pathologic confirmation between 2012 and 2013 were enrolled. Serum levels of five tumor markers were analyzed using a solid-phase immunoradiometric assay. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted for the five tumor markers to investigate their diagnostic powers and adjusted cutoff values derived from analysis of ROC curves were evaluated to calculate the sensitivity of each for SC with recommended cutoff values. Results: Based on two different cutoff values (recommended and adjusted), CYFRA 21-1 (${\geq}2.0$ and 1.2 ng/ml) had a respective sensitivity of 50% and 78.1%, compared with 8.3% and 18.8% for CEA (${\geq}7.0$ and 3.9 ng/ml), 15.6% and 18.8% for CA 19-9 (${\geq}37$ and 26.7 ng/ml), 28.1% and 9.6% for CA 72-4 (${\geq}4.0$ and 13 ng/ml) and 7.3% and 7.3% for NSE (${\geq}14.7$ and 15.0 ng/ml) in the initial staging of primary SC. The area under the curve (AUC) for CYFRA 21-1, with a value of 0.978 (95% confidence interval, 0.964-0.991) was comparatively the highest. Univariate analysis revealed significant relationships between tumor marker level and lymph node involvement, metastasis and staging with CYFRA 21-1, CA 72-4 and NSE. Conclusions: CYFRA 21-1 was the most sensitive tumor marker and showed the most powerful diagnostic performance among the five SC tumor markers. NSE and CA 72-4 are significantly related to lymph node involvement, metastasis or stage. Further evaluations are warranted to clarify the clinical usefulness and prognostic prediction of these markers in SC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권22호
• /
• pp.9661-9666
• /
• 2014

Background: A number of studies have identified a shared susceptibility locus in phospholipase C epsilon 1 (PLCE1) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and gastric cardia adenocarcinomas (GCA). However, the results of PLCE1 expression in esophageal and gastric cancer remain inconsistent and controversial. Moreover, the effects on clinicopathological features remain undetermined. This study aimed to provide a precise quantification of the association between PLCE1 expression and the risk of ESCC and GCA through meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: Eligible studies were identified from PubMed, Wanfang Data, ISI Web of Science, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. Using RevMan5.2 software, pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were employed to assess the association of PLCE1 expression with clinicopathological features relative to ESCC or GCA. Results: Seven articles were identified, including 761 esophageal and gastric cancer cases and 457 controls. Overall, we determined that PLCE1 expression was associated with tumor progression in both esophageal cancers (pooled OR=5.93; 95%CI=3.86 to 9.11) and gastric cancers (pooled OR=9.73; 95%CI=6.46 to 14.7). Moreover, invasion depth (pooled OR=3.62; 95%CI=2.30 to 5.70) and lymph node metastasis (pooled OR=4.21; 95%CI=2.69 to 6.59) were linked with PLCE1 expression in gastric cancer. However, no significant associations were determined between PLCE1 overexpression and the histologic grade, invasion depth, and lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer. Conclusions: Our metaanalysis results indicated that upregulated PLCE1 is significantly associated with an increased risk of tumor progression in ESCC and GCA. Therefore, PLCE1 expression can be appropriately regarded as a promising biomarker for ESCC and GCA patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제30권3호
• /
• pp.295-306
• /
• 2001

Objectives : The management of massive brain swelling remains an unsolved problem in neurosurgical field. Despite newly developed medical and pharmacological therapy, the mortality and morbidity due to massive brain swelling remains high. According to many recent reports, surgical decompression with dura expansion is superior to medical management in patients with massive brain swelling. We performed surgical treatment on the first line of treatment, and followed medical management in case with refractory increased intracranial pressure(ICP). To show the quantitative effect of decompressive surgery on the intracranial pressure, we performed ventricular puncture and checked the ventricular ICP continuously during the decompressive surgery and postoperative period. Materials and Methods : Fifty-one patients with massive brain swelling, undergoing bilateral decompressive craniectomy with dura expansion, were studied in this study. In all patients, ventricular puncture was performed at Kocher's point on the opposite side of massive brain swelling. The ventricular pressure was monitored continuously, during the bilateral decompression procedures and postoperative period. Results : The initial ventricular ICP were varied from 13mmHg to 112mmHg. Immediately after the bilateral craniectomy, mean ventricular ICP decreased to $53.1{\pm}15.8%$ of the initial ICP(ranges from 5mmHg to 87mmHg). Dura opening decreased mean ICP by additional 36.7% and made the ventricular pressure $16.4{\pm}10.5%$ of the initial pressure (ranges from 0mmHg to 28mmHg). Postoperatively, ventricular pressure was lowered to $20.2{\pm}22.6%$(ranged from 0mmHg to 62.3mmHg) of the initial ICP. The ventricular ICP value during the first 24 hours after decompressive surgery was found to be an important prognostic factor. If ICP was over 35mmHg, the mortality was 100% instead of additional medical(barbiturate coma therapy and hypothermia) treatments. Conclusion : Bilateral decompression with dura expansion is considered an effective therapeutic modality in ICP control. To obtain favorable clinical outcome in patients with massive brain swelling, early decision making on surgical management and proper patient selection are mandatory.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권10호
• /
• pp.4281-4287
• /
• 2014

Background: Methylation of tumor suppressor genes has been investigated in all kinds of cancer. Tumor specific epigenetic alterations can be used as a molecular markers of malignancy, which can lead to better diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between gene hypermethylation and expression of fragile histidine triad (FHIT), glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) and p16 genes and various clinicopathologic characteristics in primary non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). Materials and Methods: The study included 28 primary non-small cell lung carcinomas, where an additional 28 tissue samples taken from apparently normal safety margin surrounding the tumors served as controls. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) was performed to analyze the methylation status of FHIT, GSTP1 and p16 while their mRNA expression levels were measured using a real-time PCR assay with SYBR Green I. Results: The methylation frequencies of the genes tested in NSCLC specimens were 53.6% for FHIT, 25% for GSTP1, and 0% for p16, and the risk of FHIT hypermethylation increased among patients with NSCLC by 2.88, while the risk of GSTP1 hypermethylation increased by 2.33. Hypermethylation of FHIT gene showed a highly significant correlation with pathologic stage (p<0.01) and a significant correlation with smoking habit and FHIT mRNA expression level (p<0.05). In contrast, no correlation was observed between the methylation of GSTP1 or p16 and smoking habit or any other parameter investigated (p>0.05). Conclusions: Results of the present study suggest that methylation of FHIT is a useful biomarker of biologically aggressive disease in patients with NSCLC. FHIT methylation may play a role in lung cancer later metastatic stages while GSTP1 methylation may rather play a role in the early pathogenesis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권3호
• /
• pp.1615-1621
• /
• 2013

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is related to tumor invasion and metastasis. However, the role of MMP-9 expression in breast cancer survival remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to accomplish a more accurate estimation of the association between MMP-9 expression and survival results in breast cancer patients through meta-analysis. Methods: A meta-analysis of published studies investigating the effects of positive MMP-9 expression on both relapse free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) was performed. Relevant literature was confirmed by searching electronic databases including PubMed, Ovid, EMBASE and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) before November 1, 2012. Individual hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted and pooled HRs with 95% CIs were used to evaluate the strength of the association between positive MMP-9 expression and survival results of breast cancer patients. Funnel plot and Egger's regression tests were used to evaluate publication bias. Heterogeneity and sensitivity analysis was also conducted. All the work was completed using STATA. Results: A total of 2,344 patients from 15 evaluative studies were finally included. Pooled HRs and 95% CIs suggested that MMP-9 overexpression had an unfavorable impact on both OS (HR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.41-2.04) and RFS (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.17-2.01) in breast cancer patients. There was no significant heterogeneity observed in the studies reported for OS (P=0.360, $I^2$=8.8%), but not RFS (P=0.002, $I^2$=67%). Publication bias was absent among the studies both in OS and RFS cases (t=-0.54, P=0.605 and t=1.71, P=0.131, respectively). Omission of any single study had little effect on the combined risk estimates on sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that positive MMP-9 expression confers a higher risk of relapse and a worse survival in patients with breast cancer. Larger prospective studies are now needed to evaluate the clinical utility of MMP-9 expression.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권3호
• /
• pp.2053-2058
• /
• 2013

Background: Formation of new blood vessels is necessary for the development and spread of neoplasms more than 1 mm3 in volume, angiogenesis being responsible for formation of new from pre-existing blood vessels. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is pivotal and the best studied angiogenic factor in all human cancers. Therefore we designed this study to investigate the role of VEGF-A and VEGF-C in prostate cancer in comparison with BPH controls in a north Indian population. Methods: In this case-control study a total of 100 subjects were included on the basis of confirmed histopathological reports, out of which 50 were prostate cancer patients and the other 50 were BPH patients with PSA levels >2 ng/ml and abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) findings during September 2009 to August 2011 from the Department of Urology, KGMU, Lucknow, India. Plasma levels of VEGF were determined using quantitative immunoassay (ELISA-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay). Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 15.0 version. Results: The mean age of prostate cancer ($67.6{\pm}5.72$) patients was significantly higher (p=0.005) than BPH ($63.6{\pm}7.92$) patients. Expression of VEGF-A was not significantly higher in disease stage C1 than D1 or D2 and A or B (p=0.13) while the level of VEGF-A was significantly higher (p=0.04) in prostate cancer as compared to BPH subjects (PCa=13.0 pg/ml, BPH=6.8 pg/ml). Levels of VEGF-C were similar in both groups (PCa=832.6 pg/ml, BPH=823.7 pg/ml). In ROC curve, the area under curve (AUC) was 0.70 (95%CI: 0.60-0.80) and the cut-off value for which a higher proportion of patients was correctly classified (20%) was 26.0 pg/mL. Conclusion: Although VEGF-A is increased in cancer prostate patients a statistically significant correlation could not be established in this study. VEGF-C was not found to be a useful biomarker.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권3호
• /
• pp.1601-1607
• /
• 2013

A determination of circulating tumor cell (CTC) effectiveness for prediction of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was conducted as an adjunct to standard treatment of care in breast cancer management. Between November 2008 and March 2009, 22 metastatic and 12 early stage breast carcinoma patients, admitted to Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, were included in this prospective trial. Patients' characteristics, treatment schedules and survival data were evaluated. CTC was detected twice by CellSearch method before and 9-12 weeks after the initiation of chemotherapy. A cut-off value equal or greater than 5 cells per 7.5 ml blood sample was considered positive. All patients were female. Median ages were 48.0 (range: 29-65) and 52.5 (range: 35-66) in early stage and metastatic subgroups, respectively. CTC was positive in 3 (13.6%) patients before chemotherapy and 6 (27.3%) patients during chemotherapy in the metastatic subgroup whereas positive in only one patient in the early stage subgroup before and during chemotherapy. The median follow-up was 22.0 (range: 21-23) and 19.0 (range: 5-23) months in the early stage and metastatic groups, respectively. In the metastatic group, both median PFS and OS were significantly shorter in any time CTC positive patients compared to CTC negative patients (PFS: 4.0 vs 14.0 months, Log-Rank p=0.013; and OS: 8.0 months vs. 20.5 months, Log-Rank p<0.001). OS was affected from multiple visceral metastatic sites (p=0.055) and higher grade (p=0.044) besides CTC positivity (log rank p<0.001). Radiological response of chemotherapy was also correlated with better survival (p<0.001). As a result, CTC positivity was confirmed as a prospective marker even in a small patient population, in this single center study. Measurement of CTC by CellSearch method in metastatic breast carcinoma cases may allow indications of early risk of relapse or death with even as few as two measurements during a chemotherapy program, but this finding should be confirmed with prospective trials in larger study populations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권17호
• /
• pp.7351-7355
• /
• 2014

Background: Laryngeal carcinogenesis is a multifactorial process that has not been fully elucidated. Despite extensive research, reliable markers with diagnostic and prognostic value are still lacking. It was recently reported that an elevated preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may correlate with an increased risk of recurrence, tumor aggressiveness and poorer prognosis in various malignancies. The aim of this study was to examine whether NLR could be used as an inflammatory marker to differentiate laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) patients from benign laryngeal lesion (BLL) and precancerous laryngeal lesion (PLL) patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 209 patients admitted to a tertiary referral center with laryngeal lesions and undergoing biopsies to establish their histopathological diagnosis. We reviewed the patient files for their clinical, histopathological and laboratory data. The patients were divided into three groups according to their histopathological findings, as BLL, PLL and LSCC groups. The patients in the PLL group were also divided into three subgroups as mild, moderate and severe dysplasia/carcinoma in situ (CIS) subgroups. The groups were compared for NLR and the other laboratory data. Results: The mean NLRs of the BLL, PLL and the LSCC groups were $2.12{\pm}0.86$, $2.32{\pm}0.68$ and $3.46{\pm}1.51$, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). The mean NLRs of the patients with PLL and LSCC were significantly higher than the patients with BLL (p=0.031 and p=0.001, respectively). The mean NLRs were similar among mild dysplasia, moderate dysplasia and severe dysplasia / CIS groups (p>0.05). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating NLR in BLL, PLL and LSCC. NLR is an inexpensive, reproducible and widely available blood test, and could be a useful inflammatory marker to differentiate LSCC from BLL and PLL.