Background This study aimed to investigate the correlation of long non‐coding RNA T‐cell factor 7 (lnc‐TCF7) with clinical features and prognosis in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Methods Totally, 216 newly diagnosed symptomatic MM patients and 60 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Bone marrow samples were collected from patients before treatment and from HCs on donation to detect lnc‐TCF7 expression in plasma cells by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Besides, clinical response, progression‐free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) of patients were assessed. Results Lnc‐TCF7 expression was increased in patients with MM compared with HCs. Lnc‐TCF7 expression was highest in international staging system (ISS) stage III patients, followed by ISS stage II patients, and then ISS stage I patients, while lnc‐TCF7 expression was similar in patients with different immunoglobulin subtypes and Durie‐Salmon stages. Regarding chromosomal abnormalities, lnc‐TCF7 expression positively correlated with t(4; 14) and Del(17p), whereas no correlation of lnc‐TCF7 expression with t(14; 16), 1q21 amplification, Del(13q), or hyperdiploid was observed in patients with MM. Furthermore, lnc‐TCF7 expression positively correlated with serum creatinine, beta‐2‐microglobulin, and lactate dehydrogenase in patients. Besides, lnc‐TCF7 was negatively associated with complete response but not overall response rate in patients. Additionally, patients with lnc‐TCF7 high expression exhibited shorter PFS and OS compared to patients with lnc‐TCF7 low expression. Conclusion Lnc‐TCF7 might have clinical value in aiding disease management and prognosis prediction of MM.

Pancreatic panniculitis is a rare complication characterized by subcutaneous fat necrosis associated with pancreatic disease. It has been postulated that pancreatic panniculitis is caused by the systemic activity of pancreatic enzymes that lead to microcirculatory disturbances. We report a 41-year-old heavy alcoholic woman with pancreatic panniculitis that coexisted with acute and chronic pancreatitis. She was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis and alcoholic liver cirrhosis 5 years ago. She presented with multiple, tender, erythematous, subcutaneous nodules with heat sensation on both lower legs. Laboratory evaluation revealed an increase in the serum blood amylase and lipase. Histopathologic findings showed fat necrosis with inflammation around the necrotic subcutaneous fat tissue. The lesions subsided gradually with an improvement of acute pancreatitis.

Anterior cervical osteophytes affecting the cervical spine are a rare cause of dysphagia. They may affect the patient's life by compressing the larynx. A 66-year-old male patient complained of dysphagia during swallowing that started five months earlier. During esophagogastroduodenoscopy, the endoscopist felt outside pressure and severe resistance, and a protruded lesion at the posterior wall of the hypopharynx was found. A cervical spine x-ray showed prominent anterior osteophytes at the C-spine 2-5 level. In addition, computed tomography showed esophageal luminal narrowing related to prominent anterior cervical osteophytes at the C-spine 3-4 level. Due to the absence of any effective medical therapy and rapid progression of dysphagia, surgery was recommended to relieve the symptoms. Clinical improvement occurred after surgical resection of the osteophytes through an anterior cervical approach. So we report here on a rare case of anterior cervical osteophytes with dysphagia with review of the relevant literature.

Rectal involvement by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is quite rare. Approximately 14 cases have been reported worldwide, but only one with ischemic colitis has been reported in Korea. A 17-year-old female patient was hospitalized with abdominal pain and hematochezia. Sigmoidoscopy revealed only a simple rectal ulcer without ischemic colitis. cytomegalovirus and bacterial infections were excluded. A sigmoidoscopic rectal biopsy indicated a rectal invasion by SLE, but the patient showed an acute worsening conditions that did not respond to treatment. This paper reports a case of rectal ulcer that developed in SLE without ischemic colitis with a review of the relevant literature. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2019;73:299-302)

Idiopathic cecal ulcer is a rare disease entity of unknown cause diagnosed by ruling out other known causes of cecal ulceration. The most common complication of an idiopathic cecal ulcer is bleeding; perforation, peritonitis, abscess, and stricture formation have been noted. The authors treated a 53-year-old woman who presented with fever and intermittent right upper quadrant abdominal pain. Multiple pyogenic liver abscess and a solitary cecal ulcer were diagnosed by radiologic, endoscopic, and pathologic examination, followed by laparoscopic cecectomy. After extensive study, we concluded that this patient's liver abscesses were a complication of the idiopathic cecal ulcer. Herein, we report a case of multiple pyogenic liver abscess caused by microperforation of idiopathic cecal ulcer.