• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.701-707
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• 1997

Although many reseraches have been persued to detect the molecular tumor marker to define the cancer, ideal tumor marker which speak for the characteristics of malignancy and has high sensitivity and specificity is not known. One of the characteristics of the malignant cells is indefinite proliferative potential, in other word, immortality. The expression of telomerase and stabilization of te10meres are con omitant with the attaiunent of immortality in tumor cells; thus the measurement of telomerase activity in clinically obtained tumor samples may provide important information which would be useful as a diagnostic marker to detect immortal cancer cells. Telomerase activity was analyzed in 12 non-small cell . lung cancer cell lines and 41 primary non-small cell lung cancers with the use of a PCR-based assay. All the cell lines and the majority of tumors displayed telomerase activity, but telomerase was not detectable in most of the corresponding pathologically-normal tissues. Telomere length was not correlated with telomerase activity. The present study indicate that measurement of telomerase activity may be useful as a molecular tumor marker in non-small cell lung cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.542-547
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• 1999

Background: Decision in mediastinal lymph node involvement of lung cancer by CT scan is very important and valuable for the treatment planning and prognosis prediction. In general, long diameter of mediastinal lymph node more than 15mm is used as criterion of lung cancer involvement. Adenocarci-noma has a tendency of early distant metastasis and micrometastasis, so adenocarcinoma may involve lymph node earlier and cannot be detected before lymph nodes are enlarged enough. The authors tried to determine the difference between two size criteria(15mm, 10mm) in adenocarcinoma for the detection of cancer involvement. Methods: Numbers of sample are 60 cases(male 46, female 14, median age: 61.5 years). According to pathology, squamous cancer 41, large cell cancer 2, adenocarcinoma 17. According to TNM stage, I 23, III 24, IIIA 13. Results : Mean long diameter of lymph node involvement is 16.0($\pm8.0$) mm in non-adenocarcinoma group, and that of adenocarcinoma group is 12.0($\pm3.2$) mm(p<0.05). If long diameter of lymph node larger than 15mm as involvement criterion is applied, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive index, negative predictive index, accuracy of nonadenocarcinoma group are 54%, 100%, 100%, 83%, 86%, and those of adenocarcinoma group are 43%, 90%, 75%, 69%, 71%. If long diameter of lymph node larger than 10mm as involvement criterion is applied, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive index. negative predictive index. accuracy of nonadenocarcinoma group are 65%, 77%, 61%, 92%, 79%, and those of adenocarcinoma group are 100%, 80%, 78%, 100%, 88%. Conclusion: Long diameter of lymph node larger than 10mm is more valuable criterion as lymph node involvement in adenocarcinoma of lungs.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.899-907
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• 1997

Recently, primary lung cancer has increased markedly in incidence & prevalence in korea. Prom July 1979 to June 1996, 183 patients were diagnosed and operated for primary non-small cell lung cancer, and evaluated clinically. 1. There were 164 males and 19 females(M:P=8.6: 1), and the peak incidence of age was 50th and 60th decade of life(73.7%). 2. Most of symptoms were respiratory, whitch were cough(44.8%), chest pain(30.1%), dyspnea(20.8%), hemoptysis or blood tinged sputum(19.7%), sputum(15.3%), and asymptomatic cases were 12.0%. 3. Histopathologically, sguamous cell carcinoma was 68.9%, adenocarcinoma 19.7%, bronchioloalveol r cell carcinoma 2.2%, adenosguamous cell carcinoma 1.6%, and large cell carcinoma 7.7%. 4. In the operation, pneumonectomy was 41.0%, lobectomy 42.1%, bilobectomy 13.1%, stagmentectomy or wedge resection 1.6%, and explore tharacotomy 2.2%, and the overall resectability was 97.8%. 5. Postoperative complications were developed in 31.9%, and operative mortality was 1.6%. 6. In postoperative stagings, stage I was 38.3%, stage H 14.8%, stage llla 31.1%, and stage IIIb 15.8%. 7. The overall cumulative survival rates were 1 year 77.8%, 3 year 42.7%, and 5 year 39.5%. The 5 year survival rate according to stage were stage 153.0%, stage H 46.5%, stage I[la 28.2%, and stage IIIb 13.8%(p<0.05), according to operation method were lobectomy 45.0%, and pneumonectomy 30.3%(p<0.05), and according to mediastinal involvement were Nl 32.0%, and N2 11.1%(p<0.05). The 5 year survival rate according to histologic type were squamous cell carcinoma 43.1%, adenocarcinoma 23.3%, and large cell carcinoma 30.3 (p>0.05).