Biomedical subjects

Miin-Fu Chen

Publications and source records attributed to Miin-Fu Chen.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Beneficial role of melatonin on microcirculation in endotoxin-induced gastropathy in rats: possible implication in nitrogen oxide reduction.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces hemodynamic changes and microcirculatory derangement in various organs. Melatonin may exert a beneficial effect on gastric tissue in LPS-induced gastropathy. However, the role of nitric oxide (NO) has not been clarified. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control, n = 9; LPS (intraperitoneal LPS, 50 mg/kg), n = 9; and LPS + M (LPS, 50 mg/kg; intragastric melatonin 20 mg/kg), n = 9. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was monitored throughout the experiment (8 h). In vivo microscopy was used to investigate gastric microcirculation, including flow velocity and leukocyte adhesion. Tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and gastric aspirate parameters (protein content, glucose content, volume) were determined as the gastric damage index at the end of the experiment. Microdialysis was used to measure the sum of nitrite and nitrate concentrations. RESULTS: Compared with LPS alone, LPS with melatonin significantly improved gastric microcirculation but not systemic hemodynamics. LPS-induced gastropathy was quantified according to the increased adherent leukocyte count, decreased flow velocity in postcapillary venules, and increased tissue MDA production. Luminal glucose and protein content, the gastric mucosa injury index, were significantly increased. Intragastric melatonin improved microcirculatory and mucosa injury parameters. These effects of melatonin are directly associated with the tissue levels of NO products, which are increased with LPS only and much decreased with LPS and melatonin. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that melatonin contributes to the protective effects in LPS-induced gastropathy through a mechanism associated with regional production of NO.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Breast carcinoma in patients with dermatomyositis: a retrospective analysis of eight cases.

BACKGROUND: The association between dermatomyositis and breast carcinoma has not been fully evaluated yet. The aim of the study was to clarify characteristics of the association between these two diseases. METHODS: The medical records of 128 patients with dermatomyositis or polymyositis from 1990 to 1998 were retrospectively reviewed. Eight patients (6.3%) were identified with dermatomyositis which was associated with an underlying breast carcinoma. Clinical features, laboratory data, electromyograms, muscle biopsies, and the prognoses of these patients were assessed. RESULTS: The mean age of the 8 patients with breast carcinoma and dermatomyositis (62.1 +/- 6.7 years) was larger than that of patients with breast carcinoma without dermatomyositis (48.5 +/- 11.8 years). Dermatomyositis preceded breast carcinoma in 2 patients, was concurrent with breast carcinoma in 5 patients, and followed breast carcinoma in 1 patient. Of these 8 patients, 4 had TNM classification stage IV (M1) breast cancer, 1 had IIIA (T2N2M0) breast cancer, and 3 had IIB (T2N1M0) breast cancer. The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 79 (median, 21) months. Five patients died of recurrence or distant metastasis, and the remaining 3 patients had disease-free survival, with a follow-up period ranging from 11 to 28 (median, 20) months. Four of 5 patients had parallel improvement in dermatomyositis after surgical treatment of breast carcinoma. CONCLUSION: In Taiwan, dermatomyositis is associated with an increased incidence of breast carcinoma. The mean age of the 8 patients with breast carcinoma and dermatomyositis was significantly larger than that of patients with breast carcinoma without dermatomyositis. If present, breast carcinoma can precede, occur concurrently with, or follow the diagnosis of dermatomyositis. Surgical treatment of breast carcinoma may alleviate the course of dermatomyositis and eliminate the need for steroids in some cases.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Ectopic pancreas with gastric outlet obstruction: report of two cases and literature review.

Ectopic pancreas is a rare entity and is usually an incidental finding in clinical practice. Most patients with an ectopic pancreas are asymptomatic, and if present, symptoms are non-specific according to the site of the lesion and different complications encountered. The most-common site is the stomach, accounting for 25%-38.2% of all patients. An asymptomatic ectopic pancreas is usually of no clinical importance, and there is no surgical indication in such a situation. However if there are complications caused by an ectopic pancreas, a variety of actions becomes necessary. We report 2 cases of ectopic pancreas with gastric outlet obstruction. The first case was a 41-year-old man who suffered from epigastric fullness and dyspepsia for 3 years. Endoscopic examination revealed a submucosal tumor measuring 2.5 cm in diameter in the prepyloric area. The second case was a 53-year-old man, who initially underwent a craniotomy to remove a pituitary adenoma, and laparotomy and duodenorrhaphy due to a perforated peptic ulcer. The postoperative course was not uneventful, and an upper gastrointestinal series showed a 2-cm intramural mass with a mucosal ulcer at the distal antrum. Both cases had symptoms and signs of gastric outlet obstruction, and both cases accepted subtotal gastrectomy with Billroth II anastomosis. A review of the literature revealed few cases of ectopic pancreas with gastric outlet obstruction. An ectopic pancreas must be considered in the differential diagnosis of gastric outlet obstruction.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Icteric type hepatocellular carcinoma: clinical features, diagnosis and treatment.

Icteric type hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a clinical entity of HCC presenting as obstructive jaundice caused by floating tumor debris in common bile duct, is rare. Taiwan has a high incidence of HCC and liver cirrhosis. The clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of this disease entity were reviewed. Not all patients with this disease were terminally ill. With proper management and good palliation, occasional cure are possible.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

PubMed2002

Diffuse gastric polyposis: report of a case.

In diffuse gastric polyposis, all or a large part of the gastric mucosa is covered with polyps. Diffuse gastric polyposis was accidentally found in a 59-year-old female during study of her anemia. The diagnosis was confirmed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy, double-contrast barium upper gastrointestinal roentgenography, and colonoscopy. Treatment was total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy. Differential diagnosis of inherited gastrointestinal polyposis syndrome should be considered; malignant potential is the greatest concern.

Female↗

PubMed2002

Benefits of palliative surgery for far-advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The optimum strategy for palliative surgery in gastric cancer patients remains undetermined. METHODS: In total, 525 patients who had undergone palliative surgery between 1994 and 2000 were evaluated in terms of operative mortality, survival, and palliative effect. Patients were grouped according to the UICC's classification of residual tumors (R) after the operation: microscopic residual tumor (R1) (N = 104) and macroscopic residual tumor (R2) (N = 421). Gastric resection was performed in all R1 patients and in 257 of the R2 patients. Non-resection procedures were performed in 164 of the R2 patients, including gastrojejunostomies in 64, gastrostomies in 17, jejunostomies in 60, and laparotomies only in 23. RESULTS: The operative mortality did not significantly differ among R1 distal gastrectomies (4.5%), R2 distal gastrectomies (3.3%), and R1 total gastrectomies (2.9%) (p = 0.919). R2 total gastrectomies showed a particularly higher operative mortality (10.9%) than did the other resection procedures. The survival time and palliative duration were significantly longer in patients after palliative resection than after non-resection operations. Postoperative chemotherapy prolonged the survival time of patients after palliative surgery. CONCLUSION: R1 or R2 distal gastrectomies and R1 total gastrectomies have benefits of survival prolongation and symptomatic palliation. However, the use of a total gastrectomy in R2 patients must be selectively reserved for far-advanced cases, otherwise it should be replaced with less-invasive procedures to avoid a high operative mortality rate. Postoperative chemotherapy is useful for prolonging survival time.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sepsis correlated with increased erythrocyte Na+ content and Na+ - K+ pump activity.

The aims of the present study were twofold: (1) simultaneous determinations of Na(+) transport parameters of erythrocytes from 40 healthy donors and 28 septic patients as assessed by a score of severity of sepsis (SSS), and (2) examination of the correlation between the SSS and specific Na(+) transport abnormalities. Erythrocytes were obtained and loaded with different ionic compositions and cellular Na(+) contents before determination of the near-maximal Na(+) pump rate (Vmax), the physiological extrusion rate of Na(+) (v) and the number of ouabain-binding sites (Bmax). In erythrocytes from septic patients, the cellular Na(+) content was 28% higher (p < 0.001), with no differences in water content compared to erythrocytes from healthy donors. This elevated Na(+) content was accompanied by significantly higher values for Vmax (43%), v (24%) and Bmax (48%) of the Na(+) pump in septic erythrocytes. Moreover, significant positive correlations existed between Vmax and SSS (p = 0.028) and between cellular Na(+) content and SSS (p = 0.005). These data suggest that during sepsis, membrane alterations occur and result in an increased cellular Na(+) content. Active Na(+) transport (Vmax and v) was significantly stimulated, possibly as a consequence of a secondary response to the elevated Na(+) of cells. Both cellular Na(+) and Vmax correlated well with the severity of sepsis, suggesting that these altered transport parameters may reflect the progress of sepsis.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Vaccination of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients with tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cells: a clinical trial.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common and rapidly progressing malignancy. Current treatment options for advanced HCC are limited. This clinical study of dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy for HCC enrolled 31 patients with advanced HCC. DCs, propagated from peripheral blood monocytes, were pulsed with autologous tumor lysates to treat HCC. The first 14 patients underwent pulsed therapy with five courses of DC vaccination intravenously at weekly intervals. The other 17 patients underwent monthly boost vaccinations after the initial pulsed therapy. Among the 31 patients, 4 (12.9%) exhibited partial response to DC vaccination. Seventeen patients (54.8%) had stable disease. Ten patients (32.3%) had progressive disease. The overall 1-year survival rate of all 31 patients was 40.1 +/- 9.1%. The patients treated with pulsed and boosted therapy had better 1-year survival rates than those treated by pulsed therapy alone (63.3 +/- 12.0% vs. 10.7 +/- 9.4%; P < 0.001). In this trial, DC vaccinations for advanced HCC were safe. Liver function tests showed no difference before and after DC vaccinations. The results of this clinical trial indicate that DC vaccination is a safe treatment for HCC. Pulsed DC vaccination followed by boosters can provide better clinical survival for advanced HCC patients than pulsed DC vaccination only. Further studies are needed to increase the efficacy of this therapeutic approach.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Malignancy in choledochal cysts.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Malignancy in choledochal cysts is a rare condition. This study presents our experience with this condition, with emphasis on the clinical presentation, management and outcome. METHODOLOGY: Subjects included 80 adults with choledochal cysts treated from January 1979 to December 1995. Of these patients, eight were found to have malignancy in the cyst and formed the basis of this study. RESULTS: Four patients had synchronous and four had metachronous carcinoma lesions arising in the choledochal cyst. The clinical presentations were: biliary tract infection in 5 patients, gastric outlet obstruction in two and right upper quadrant pain and body weight loss in one. Operations for bile duct malignancy included total excision in two patients, choledochotomy with T-tube drainage in two patients, gastrojejunostomy in two patients, percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage and gastrojejunostomy in one patient and metastatic lymph node biopsy only in one. One patient died due to septic shock within 30 days of operation (operative mortality). Postoperative survival time ranged from 4 to 9 months with a mean of 6.2 months. One of these patients was still alive at the time of writing (7 months). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of malignancy in the choledochal cysts was 10% in our series. Malignancy in the choledochal cyst should be highly suspected in patients with cholangitis symptoms, body weight loss and anemia. Prognosis in this disease entity is poor.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Peritoneal implanted hepatocellular carcinoma with rupture after TACE presented as acute appendicitis.

We are reporting a rare case of peritoneal implanted hepatocellular carcinoma with rupture after transarterial chemoembolization mimicking acute appendicitis. A 45-year-old male patient presented with fever and manifestations of acute appendicitis. He received transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma two months before. Emergent exploratory laparotomy revealed a normal appendix, a ruptured nodule located at the serosal surface of the terminal ileum with hemoperitoneum, and ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma at the junction of segments 4 and 8 of the liver. There was no peritoneal carcinomatosis, direct invasion to the surrounding tissue, or lymph node involvement. Postoperative course was uneventful. Histopathological examination of the resected nodule revealed metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abdomen, Acute↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic alterations of INK4alpha/ARF locus and p53 in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

The INK4alpha/ARF locus encodes p14(ARF) and p16(INK4alpha) , that function to arrest the cell cycle through the p53 and RB pathways, respectively. Genetic alterations of p14ARF and their relationship with p16(INK4a) or p53 inactivation have not been characterized in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We examined 40 pairs of HCCs/noncancerous liver tissues for homozygous deletions (HD), methylation and mutations of the INK4a/ARF locus and for mutations of p53, and analyzed their clinicopathological correlation. p16(INK4a), p53 and p14(ARF) were inactivated in 62.5% (25 out of 40), 42.5% (17 out of 40) and 20% (8 out of 40) of HCCs, respectively. Inactivation of p14(ARF) was always associated with the concomitant inactivation of p16(INK4a) and occurred more frequently in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated HCC (p=0.042). Inactivation of p16INK4a) occurred more frequently in older patients (p=0.0027. The predominant mechanism of inactivation of p14(ARF) was homozygous deletion (7 out of 8), while that of p16(INK4a) was methylation (21 out of 25). Although statistically insignificant, genetic alterations of p14(ARF) tended to occur in tumors with wild-type p53. Genetic alterations of the INK4alpha/ARF locus could occur in small HCCs. In contrast, p53 mutations occurred more frequently in advanced HCCs (p=0.041). Inactivation of either p14(ARF)/p53 or p16(INK4a) occurred in 80% (32 out of 40) and concomitant disruption of both pathways occurred in 40% (16 out of 40) of HCCs, respectively. These results suggest that p14(ARF), p16(INK4a) and p53 are differentially disrupted through distinct molecular mechanisms at different stages in HCC and that p14(ARF) and p53 appear to function in the same tumor suppression pathway in HCC

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the liver: clinicopathologic features in 12 patients and review of the literature.

We present and compare the clinical features and outcomes of 12 patients with primary adenosquamous carcinoma (ADS-CCC) of the liver who underwent hepatic resection at our institution with those of 29 cases whose surgical treatment were reported in the literature. Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) occurs less frequently than hepatocellular carcinoma in most parts of the world. Reports of surgically treated cases of ADS-CCC are seen only sporadically because of the low resectability rate, difficulty in making an early diagnosis, and the poor prognosis. Furthermore, a clinicopathological study based on a certain number of surgically treated cases is still lacking. From 1977 to 2001, 12 cases of hepatic ADS-CCC who underwent hepatic resection were reviewed in respect to clinical features and long-term results. The clinical features and outcomes of the 29 patients who underwent hepatic resection reported in the literature are also summarized for comparison. Of 228 surgically treated CCC patients in our institute, 12 (5.3%) were ADS-CCC. A male predominance was observed in our study and in the reported cases. In our series, prominent body weight loss and prominent relationship to hepatolithiasis were observed. The prognosis is dismal in patients with ADS-CCC who undergo hepatic resection; however, there was no significant difference in overall survival between the ADS-CCC and CCC groups. In our series, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of ADS-CCC and CCC patients were 18.8%, 0%, and 0% and 32.8%, 14.8%, and 9.5%, respectively. ADS-CCC is prominently related to body weight loss and hepatolithiasis in our series compared with the reported cases. The prognosis of patients with ADS-CCC who undergo hepatic resection is dismal because of the specific biological behavior of ADS-CCC.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Results of treating severe acute pancreatitis with gabexate is associated with neutrophil apoptosis activity.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A delay in polymorphonuclear neutrophil apoptosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic inflammatory reactions in certain conditions. Gabexate mesilate has been proven effective in the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis with organ dysfunction. In this study, we attempted to answer the questions of whether neutrophil apoptosis is associated with the conditions of various major organs in patients with severe acute pancreatitis and receiving gabexate. METHODOLOGY: A total of 45 patients were included in this study. We divide the patients into two groups. Group A included patients with > or = 2 complications after one-week treatment (n = 31), and Group B included patients with < 2 complications after one-week treatment (n = 14). Serum interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 was detected at day 1, 3, and 7 of treatment using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The neutrophil CD18 expression and apoptosis activity were evaluated flowcytometrically at day 1, 3, and 7 of treatment. RESULTS: At day 7 of treatment, interleukin-6 levels were significantly higher in Group B while interleukin-8 levels were not different. The neutrophil CD18 expression was significantly higher and delayed ex vivo apoptosis was significantly lower in the group B than that of group A at day 7 of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In patients of severe acute pancreatitis with organ dysfunction and receiving gabexate treatment, neutrophil apoptosis is associated with the severity of organ dysfunction.

Apoptosis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pancreatoduodenectomy for chronic pancreatitis with an inflammatory mass of pancreatic head: preoperative and postoperative functional assessment.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In chronic pancreatitis patients with an inflammatory mass of the pancreatic head receiving pancreatoduodenectomy, postoperative quality of life, including nutritional status, has become important. Pre- and postoperative evaluation of pancreatic function is essential as an effective means of proper nutritional management of patients following pancreatoduodenectomy. METHODOLOGY: Fifteen patients with chronic pancreatitis and inflammatory mass of the pancreatic head who had received standard pancreatoduodenectomy were enrolled in this investigation. All patients had their biliary and pancreatic ducts reconstructed according to Child's arrangement. Furthermore, all patients had smooth postoperative courses and were assessed for the pancreatojejunostomy by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography at least a month after the initial operation. Exocrine pancreas functions were clinically assessed with various clinical items and two indirect pancreatic function tests: the fecal elastase test and the Bentiromide test. Endocrine pancreas functions were assessed using serum C-peptide level, HbA1 level and the need for hypoglycemic therapy. RESULTS: The results indicated that the pancreatojejunostomies of all patients are patent magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. All patients benefited from the selected symptom relief and various clinical parameters, including medications, dietary restrictions, body mass index and plasma albumin levels, experiencing pain relief and improved exocrine and endocrine functions. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic function did not deteriorate after pancreatoduodenectomy for chronic pancreatitis with an inflammatory mass of pancreatic head, while quality of life was significantly improved.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in elderly patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We present the clinical features and outcome of 34 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma older than 70 years of age who underwent hepatic resection (elderly-HCC). Nowadays, hepatic surgeons unavoidably have to perform hepatic resection on elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma due to increasing life expectancy. However, the outcome of hepatic resection on elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma varies in each series, and the exact role of surgery in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma in the elderly remains to be clarified. METHODOLOGY: From 1986 to 1998, the clinical features of 34 surgically treated cases of elderly-HCC were reviewed. Factors that may influence the outcome were also analyzed. Clinical features and outcome of 398 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma younger than 70 years old (younger-HCC) were also summarized for comparison. RESULTS: Of 432 surgically resected hepatocellular carcinomas, 34 (7.9%) were elderly-HCC. More underlying diabetes mellitus association, higher hepatitis C infection, and lower hepatitis B infection were observed in the elderly-HCC group. More blood loss, larger tumor size, less capsule formation, and more recurrence were significantly prominent in the patients in the younger-HCC group compared with the elderly-HCC group. The patients in the elderly-HCC group had a favorable disease-free survival rate compared with the younger-HCC group, although not statistically significant. The 1- and 5-year survival rates of elderly-HCC patients were 85.3% and 39.6%, respectively. No significant difference in survival or mortality rate was found between elderly-HCC and younger-HCC groups. CONCLUSIONS: We present the clinical features and outcomes of 34 elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent hepatic resection. The results seem to indicate that hepatic resection is safe and feasible in the elderly with hepatocellular carcinoma with or without cirrhosis. The prognosis after hepatic resection is as comparable as that of the younger patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Breast metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma, a hyperendemic disease in Taiwan with an age-adjusted incidence 27.7/100,000 per annum, continues to be the leading cause of cancer-rate death among men and the second among women in Taiwan. Breast metastasis from non-mammary malignant neoplasm is rare, accounting for approximately 2% of breast tumors. Breast metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma has never been reported. METHODOLOGY: The medical records of three patients with breast metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma treated at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Taipei were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The study comprised one male patient and two female patients with ages ranging from 41 to 73 years (median: 53 years). All three patients had cirrhotic liver. The interval between diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma and breast metastasis ranged from 0 to 40 months (median 20 months). All three patients displayed extrahepatic metastasis when breast metastases were diagnosed. All three patients expired within one month after diagnosis of the breast metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Breast metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma is rare and hematogenous route is the mode of spread. It represents an extremely advanced stage of hepatocellular carcinoma and the prognosis is dismal.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clinicopathological analysis of cystic duct carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gallbladder carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract, while the clinical features of cystic duct carcinoma remain unexplored. METHODOLOGY: Clinicopathological data of 8 cases of cystic duct carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The sample included 5 men and 3 women, with a mean age of 66+/-10 years (range, 49-79 years). Clinical manifestations included jaundice (n=6) and/or abdominal pain (n=6). Two of the patients presented as acute cholecystitis. Preoperative work-ups included ultrasonography (n=8), computed tomography (n=7), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (n=6)/or magnetic resonance cholangiography (n=2). Meanwhile, the preoperative diagnoses included cystic duct neoplasms (n=3), common hepatic duct neoplasms (n=4), and gallstones with acute cholecystitis (n=1). Radical procedures, including cholecystectomy, resection of extrahepatic bile duct, and lymph node dissection, were performed in six patients, while palliative cholecystectomy was performed in the remaining two. Notably, five of eight cases displayed lymph node metastasis along the hepaticoduodenal ligament. Median survival was 15 months (range, 6 to 26 months). Two cases with no lymph node metastasis were alive and disease free at 23 months and 26 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cystic duct carcinoma is rare. Neoplasm of the cystic duct should be suspected in patients presenting with cystic duct obstruction accompanied by distended nonfunctioning gallbladder without evidence of stone impaction in the cystic duct. The prognosis of cystic duct carcinoma remains dismal. However, for those patients in whom tumors are detected in early stage, curative radical resections possibly provide the chance of potential curable.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immunohistochemical study of hepatic angiomyolipoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Angiomyolipoma (AML), a rare benign tumor, occurs in the liver and other organs. The hormonal role in genesis and development of HAML is unknown. We performed an immunohistochemical study on 12 female cases to detect estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER, PR) to elucidate the hormonal role in this tumor. METHODOLOGY: Medical records of the 12 patients with hepatic angiomyolipoma (HAML) treated at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Taipei between Oct 1988 and Oct 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. An immunohistochemical study was performed on these twelve patients with ER, PR, and HMB-45. RESULTS: Twelve female patients with HAML were identified with ages ranging from 28 to 66 years. Abdominal pain was the most frequent symptom. HMB-45 was positive in all the twelve patients. ER and PR were negative in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: HMB-45 special staining could be regarded as a diagnostic criterion for HAML. Sex hormone may play no role in the pathogenesis and growth of the HAML. Hormonal therapy also plays no role in the management of the tumor. Its prognosis is favorable regardless of management.

Adult↗