ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) are a family of transcription factors that are activated in response to cytokines and growth factors. STAT3 activation has been implicated in modulating the activity of downstream mediators, such as Bcl-xL and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). The aim of this study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of STAT3, B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL), and MMP-2 proteins according to histopathological parameters in colon adenocarcinomas, including lymph node metastasis, tumor differentiation, the TNM stage and the tumor size. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal STAT3, Bcl-xL, and MMP-2 antibodies was performed on paraffin-embedded specimens from 20 colon adenomas and 39 adenocarcinomas. RESULTS: The expression of STAT3, Bcl-xL, and MMP-2 was increased in the adenocarcinomas as compared with the adenomas (p<0.001). STAT3 expression was stronger in tumors with a distant metastasis than in tumors without a distant metastasis (p=0.012). A larger tumor size was related to an increase in STAT3 expression (p=0.035). CONCLUSIONS: STAT3, Bcl-xL, and MMP-2 may play important roles in the tumorigenesis of colorectal carcinoma. STAT3 may be indicative of a poor prognosis due to its correlation with distant metastases and a larger tumor size.
Subject(s)
Humans , Adenocarcinoma , Adenoma , Antibodies , B-Lymphocytes , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic , Colon , Colorectal Neoplasms , Cytokines , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins , Lymph Nodes , Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 , Neoplasm Metastasis , Prognosis , Proteins , Transcription Factors , TransducersABSTRACT
Pedunculated hepatocellular carcinoma (P-HCC) can be defined as a carcinoma protruding from the liver with or without a pedicle. Cases of P-HCC showing extrahepatic growth are very rare. P-HCC constitutes 0.2-4.2% of all HCC cases in Japan and Taiwan, but few cases in Korea have been reported. A 67-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with a 6-month history of epigastric discomfort. Examination identified an abdominal mass in the left upper quadrant, and abdominal computed tomography revealed a huge mass adjacent to the fundus of the stomach. We diagnosed this mass as a gastrointestinal stromal tumor because of its size and site. However, postoperative histopathological findings showed that the mass was HCC. Here, we report this case and review the relevant medical literature.
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors , Japan , Korea , Liver , Stomach , TaiwanABSTRACT
Pedunculated hepatocellular carcinoma (P-HCC) can be defined as a carcinoma protruding from the liver with or without a pedicle. Cases of P-HCC showing extrahepatic growth are very rare. P-HCC constitutes 0.2-4.2% of all HCC cases in Japan and Taiwan, but few cases in Korea have been reported. A 67-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with a 6-month history of epigastric discomfort. Examination identified an abdominal mass in the left upper quadrant, and abdominal computed tomography revealed a huge mass adjacent to the fundus of the stomach. We diagnosed this mass as a gastrointestinal stromal tumor because of its size and site. However, postoperative histopathological findings showed that the mass was HCC. Here, we report this case and review the relevant medical literature.
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors , Japan , Korea , Liver , Stomach , TaiwanABSTRACT
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal tumors that express c-kit. The majority of GISTs are located in the stomach and small intestine. The tumors are classified into very-low-risk, low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk categories based on size and mitosis activity. The recurrence of low-risk GIST is extremely rare. We report a hepatic recurrence of a low-risk gastric GIST that had been removed completely 8 years earlier, and presented as a huge hepatic mass. Since recurrent GIST has a poor prognosis, regular long-term follow-up must be considered, although the primary GIST was low risk.
Subject(s)
Follow-Up Studies , Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors , Intestine, Small , Liver , Mitosis , Prognosis , Recurrence , StomachABSTRACT
Pegylated interferon plus ribavirin is the standard treatment regimen in chronic hepatitis C. The main adverse events of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin combination therapy are bone marrow depression, alopecia, insomnia, and influenza-like symptoms. However, there are few reports of cutaneous sarcoidosis occurring during pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin therapy. Here, we report a case of cutaneous sarcoidosis induced by pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin during the treatment for chronic hepatitis C. The patient's sarcoidosis improved spontaneously after the treatment.
Subject(s)
Alopecia , Bone Marrow , Depression , Hepatitis C , Hepatitis C, Chronic , Interferons , Ribavirin , Sarcoidosis , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance DisordersABSTRACT
Strongyloides stercoralis is a nematode that may involve any segment of the Gl tract or virtually every human organ because of its autoinfection cycle and hyperinfection. It may occur in either immunocompetent or immunocompromised individuals. A 72-year-old woman who had no notable medical history presented with chronic diarrhea and generalized edema and she revealed protein losing eneteropathy. She was diagnosed with Strongyloidiasis infection through EGD and a colonoscopic biopsy specimen at a time when there were rhabditiform larvae present. The patient was treated with albendazole 400 mg/day for three days. At the follow-up three months later, the endoscopic biopsy specimens revealed no evidence of Strongyloidiasis infection and her clinical symptoms had progressively improved. The present case represents a rare report of Strongyloidiasis in a immunocompetent patient diagnosed through EGD and the colonoscopic biopsy specimen concurrently. So, we report on this case along with a review of the relevant literature.
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Albendazole , Biopsy , Colon , Diarrhea , Edema , Follow-Up Studies , Hypoalbuminemia , Larva , Stomach , Strongyloides , Strongyloides stercoralis , StrongyloidiasisABSTRACT
An intramural duodenal hematoma has been mostly reported as a consequence of trauma. It can also result from a hematological disorder, anticoagulant drug use and a post-therapeutic endoscopic procedure. Common symptoms of patients with an intramural duodenal hematoma are vomiting and abdominal pain. An intramural duodenal hematoma is rarely accompanied with pancreatitis and cholangitis due to intestinal obstruction. A diagnosis is made by esophagogastroduodenoscopy and the use of an abdominal CT scan. An intramural duodenal hematoma is mainly treated with conservative therapy but it may sometimes be treated with a surgical procedure. We report one case of an intramural duodenal hematoma after performing a therapeutic endoscopic procedure in a chronic renal failure patient undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.
Subject(s)
Humans , Abdominal Pain , Cholangitis , Duodenal Ulcer , Duodenoscopy , Duodenum , Endoscopy, Digestive System , Epinephrine , Hematoma , Hemorrhage , Intestinal Obstruction , Kidney Failure, Chronic , Pancreatitis , Renal Dialysis , VomitingABSTRACT
Coronary vessel anomaly is a rare disease, with an incidence of about 0.6-1.3% of patients receiving coronary angiography. The ischemia in coronary vessel anomalies is due in most cases to atherosclerosis or compression of the coronary artery by a great vessel, but occasionally spasm of a coronary vessel anomaly is responsible for the pathogenesis of chest pain and myocardial ischemia. A 64-year-old female presented with a one-year history of effort angina. The left circumflex artery originated from the proximal right coronary artery. There was no atherosclerotic lesion in the right and left coronary arteries, but a focal spasm in the right coronary artery by ergonovine. In a patient with chest pain and coronary artery anomaly, if there is no coronary atherosclerosis, abnormal course or compression, the spasm test of the coronary artery should be documented.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Angina Pectoris, Variant , Arteries , Atherosclerosis , Chest Pain , Coronary Angiography , Coronary Artery Disease , Coronary Vessel Anomalies , Coronary Vessels , Ergonovine , Incidence , Ischemia , Myocardial Ischemia , Rare Diseases , SpasmABSTRACT
Traumatic ventricular septal rupture following traffic accident is presummed to occur by external compression of the heart during late diastole or isovolumetric systole when the ventricular chambers are full and the valves are closed. Isolated ventricular septal rupture following non-penetrating chest trauma is known to be extremely rare. We report a 29-year-old man with suddenly developed ventricular septal rupture follwing nonpenetrating chest trauma by traffic accident, which he was died suddenly due to cardiac arrest in front of an operation.