• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.209-216
• /
• 1999

Purpose : To evaluate the effectiveness of external radiation therapy and the prognostic factors, we retrospectively analyzed therapeutic results of malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction (EHBO). Methods and Materials : We analyzed the results of the external radiation therapy in 59 patients of inoperable malignant EHBO who had been treated with more than 10 Gy of external radiation therapy from April 1984 to December 1990. There were 21 stomach cancer ($35.6\%$), 12 pancreas cancer ($20.3\%$), 15 extrahepatic biliary cancer ($18.0\%$) and 11 another cancer ($18.0\%$). Their pathologies were confirmed in 31 patients ($52.5\%$). They divided into 27 adenocarcinoma and 4 nonadenocarcinoma. Their chief complaints were jaundice in 47 patients ($79.7\%$) and abdominal pain in 15 patients ($49.2\%$). Twelve patients had slightly increased bilirubin level in liver function test without jaundice. We treated twenty four patients ($40.6\%$) with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and 32 patients ($54\%$) with systemic chemotherapy (CT). We performed external radiation therapy (ERT) upto $10.8\~55.8$ Gy (median 37.8 Gy) with palliative aim. Results : Overall median survival duration was $7.80\pm1.15$ months. The response rates of jaundice were $81.8\%$ in PTBO group and $66.7\%$ in non-PTBD group without statistical significance. The improving rate of jaundice was not significantly different in decreased ratio of total bilirubin level. But abdominal pain was more decreased in CT group than non-CT group (p<0.05). The significant prognostic factors were high performance status (Karnofski Performance Status >70), total radiation dose more than 35 Gy and good response of pain after therapy. There were increased in bacterial cholagitis in PTBD group and gastrointestinal complications in CT group. Conclusion : External radiotheapy could improve jaundice and abdominal pain in malignant EHBO patients, Overall survival duration was prolonged in patients with higher performance status and patients who had been treated with more than 35 Gy of total radiation dose. In the future, we expect not only better palliative role but also the prolongation of survival of using the ERT combined with other treatment method. But to achieve certain conclusion, we need luther study consisted with many kinds of treatment methods including new technologies in RT.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.255-262
• /
• 2006

$\underline{Purpose}$: To evaluate the pathological prognostic factors related to local recurrence after radical surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy in advanced rectal cancer. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: Fifty-four patients with advanced rectal cancer who were treated with radical surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy between February 1993 and December 2001 were enrolled in this study. Among these patients, 14 patients experienced local recurrence. Tissue specimens of the patients were obtained to determine pathologic parameters such as histological grade, depth of invasion, venous invasion, lymphatic invasion, neural invasion and immunohistopathological analysis for expression of p53, Ki-67, c-erb, ezrin, c-met, phosphorylated S6 kinase, S100A4, and HIF-1 alpha. The correlation of these parameters with the tumor response to radiotherapy was statistically analyzed using the chi-square test, multivariate analysis, and the hierarchical clustering method. $\underline{Results}$: In univariate analysis, the histological tumor grade, venous invasion, invasion depth of the tumor and the over expression of c-met and HIF-1 alpha were accompanied with radioresistance that was found to be statistically significant. In multivariate analysis, venous invasion, invasion depth of tumor and over expression of c-met were also accompanied with radioresistance that was found to be statistically significant. By analysis with hierarchical clustering, the invasion depth of the tumor, and the over expression of c-met and HIF-1 alpha were factors found to be related to local recurrence. Whereas 71.4% of patients with local recurrence had 2 or more these factors, only 27.5% of patients without local recurrence had 2 or more of these factors. $\underline{Conclusion}$: In advanced rectal cancer patients treated by radical surgery and adjuvant chemo-radiation therapy, the poor prognostic factors found to be related to local recurrence were HIF-1 alpha positive, c-met positive, and an invasion depth more than 5.5 mm. A prospective study is necessary to confirm whether these factors would be useful clinical parameters to measure and predict a radio-resistance group of patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.331-337
• /
• 1997

Purpose : To evaluate our experience in the breast-conserving treatment for early breast cancer with special regard to recurrence Pattern and related risk factors. Materials and Method :Two hundred and sixteen patients with AJC stage 1and 11 breast cancer who received breast conserving treatment between January 1991 and December 1994 were evaluated A9e distribution ranged from 23-80 year old with a median a9e of 44. One hundred and seventeen Patients had 71 lesions and 99 Patients had 72 lesions. Axillary lymph nodes were involved in 73 patients. All patients received a breast conserving surgery (wide excision to quadrantectomy) and axillary node dissection followed by radiotherapy. Ninety six patients received chemotherapy before or after radiotherapy. Results : During the follow-up period (3-60 months, median 30 months), local recurrences were noted in six Patients (true: 3, elsewhere; 1, skin: 2). Sixteen patients developed distant metastases as the first sign of recurrence at 8-38 months (median 20 months) after surgery. Among them, three patients simultaneously developed local recurrence with distant metastases. Contralateral breast cancer developed in one Patient and non-mammary cancers developed in three patients. The actuarial 5 year survival rate was $88.4\%\;(stage\;I\;96.7\%,\;stage\;IIa\;95.2\%,\;stage\;IIb\;69.9\%)$. Age, I stage, number of involved axillary lymph nodes. and AJC stage were risk factors for distant metastases in univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, the number of involved axillary lymph nodes was the most significant risk factor for metastases. Conclusion : Local recurrence was not common in the early years after radiotherapy. Distant metastases occurred at a steady rate during the first three years and was more common in the Patients with larger tumors, higher number of involved axillary nodes, and younger age.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.345-352
• /
• 2001

Purpose : To evaluate the treatment results and prognostic factors after radiotherapy in stage IIB uterine cervix cancer. Materials and methods : We retrospectively analyzed the records of 90 patients with stage IIB uterine cervix cancer who received radiotherapy between 9/94 and 12/99. Age was ranged from 28 to 79 years (median 57). Tumor size was $\geq4\;cm$ in 64 patients. Preteatment SCC level was measured in 75 patients. Twenty nine patients received conventional radiotherapy (QD) and the others received modified hyper-fractionated radiotherapy (BID). Only 7 patients in BID had tumor size <4 cm. All patients received high dose rate brachytherapy $(4\;Gy\times7\;or\;5\;Gy\times6)$. No Patient received concurrent chemotherapy during radiotherapy. Follow up period was ranging from 9 to 76 months (median 38). Results : The 5-year overall and disease free survival rates were $73.4\%\;and\;71.6\%$, respectively. Local recurrences occurred in $10\%$ of patients, and distant metastasis in $18.9\%$. There was a significant correlation between OS/DFS and tumor size $(<4cm;\;OS\;95.2\%,\;DFS\;91.4\%,\;\geq4cm;\;OS\;63.4\%,\;DFS\;63.4\%)$. Pretreatment SCC level was one of prognostic factors only in univariate analysis. Conclusion : With modified hyperfractionated radiotherapy, there was very low local recurrence rate $(6.6\%)$ and high 5-year overall and disease free survival rate $(75.4\%\;and\;70.5\%)$, which is comparable to results after concurrent chemoradiotherapy in bulky, locally advanced stage IIB uterine cervix cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.221-228
• /
• 1996

Purpose : We tried to evaluate the clinical characteristics, the treatment methods, the results of treatments, and the Patterns of failure in ovarian dysgerminoma retrospectively According to the results we would like to suggest the proper management guideline of stage la ovarian dysgerminoma patients who want to maintain fertility. Materials and Methods : Between 1975 and 1990, 34 patients with ovarian dysgerminoma were treated at the Yonsei University Hospital. The case records of these patients have been reviewed for presenting symptoms, treatment methods, local control and survival following treatment. Excluded from analysis were five patients with mixed ovarian germ cell tumors and gonadoblastomas (46,XY) Treatment results of the twenty nine patients were analysed by each treatment modality. Twenty one patients were treated with surgery and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (group 2). The other eight patients were treated with operation alone (group 2). The median age of twenty-nine patients was 23 years with a range of 8 to 39 years. Presenting symptoms were abdominal mass (20) pelvic discomfort or pain (5) et al. Radiotherapy was performed by 10MV LINAC or Co-60 teletherapy unit. The total radiation dose of the whole abdomen was 20-25 Gy/3weeks, 1-1.5 Gy/fraction with a boost to the whole pelvis 10-15 Gy/l-2weeks 1.8-2.0 Gy/fraction. Advanced stage disease (stage II or stage III) patients received prophylactic mediastinal and supraclavicular irradiation to a dose of 16-26 Gy. Median duration of follow-up of living patients was 80 months (range 13-201 months). Results : All of the twenty one patients of group 1 were alive without disease ($100\%$). Among the eight patients who were not treated with radiotherapy (group 2), six patients developed local recurrence. Four Patients referred with recurrent disease were treated with salvage radiotherapy. Three of four patients were salvaged and one Patient who had recurrent intra-abdominal disease died of progressed carcinomatosis at 11 months after salvage radiotherapy. The other two patients with recurrence were salvaged with chemotherapy (1 patient) or re-operation (1 Patient). Twenty eight patients remained alive without disease at last follow up, so the 5 year local control rate and 5 year overall survival rate for all groups were $96.6\%$ (28/29), respectively. Among thirteen patients with stage la unilateral tumors seven patients were treated with postoperative radiotherapy and the other six patients were treated with unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy alone. Five patients who did not received radiotherapy developed local failure but all of the recurrent ovarian dysgerminomas were salvaged with radiotherapy, chemotherapy or re-operation. So all the 13 patients with stage la ovarian dysgerminoma were free of disease from 20-201 months (median 80 months). Conclusion : The authors consider external irradiation to be an effective treatment as a complement to surgery in ovarian dysgerminoma. For those patients with disease presenting in stage la tumors who wish to maintain fertility, unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy alone may be curative and spare ovarian function considering excellent salvage rate of recurrent ovarian dysgerminoma in present study.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.912-922
• /
• 1997

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of supportive nursing on stress reaction of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The nonequivalent control group pre-test/post-test design was used for this experimental study. The subjects were 32 patients who were receiving chemotherapy after mastectomies at K hospital in Taegu from June, 1994 to June 1995. Among 32 subjects, 16 were placed in the experimental group and 16 in the control group. The experimental and control groups were tested for general characteristics, trait anxiety, health locus of control, family support, state anxiety, hopelessness, physical stress, and anxiety behavior. Collected data was analized by means of a chisquare test and a t-test for the comparative analysis of the general characteristics and homogeneity of subjects. ANOVA, and MANOVA were used for testing the hypothesis. Reliability of the tools were analyzed using the Pearson Correlation coefficient. The results of this study were as follows : 1. The hypothesis : The stress reaction of the experimental group which took supportive nursing was lower than the stress reaction of the control group : this was supported statistically. The main variable influenced in stress reaction was hopelessness. Supportive nursing for breast cancer patients, who are receiving chemotherapy, was especially effective in the reduction of hopelessness compared to state anxiety, physical stress, and anxiety behavior. 2. An analysis of the difference on stress reaction, according to the frequency of supportive nursing between the control and experimental group, showed the level of hopelessness of the experimental group was lower than the control group after four supportive meeting sessions. But there was no statistical difference in state anxiety, physical stress, and anxiety behavior. In conclusion, this study supported utilization of supportive care as well as demonstrating the effectiveness of the System-Developmental Stress Model developed by Chrisman and Riehl-Sisca.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.82 no.4
• /
• pp.903-913
• /
• 2021

Purpose To identify the imaging features indicative of sarcoid-like reactions in patients with intrathoracic lymphadenopathy after complete remission of malignancies. Materials and Methods This study enrolled five patients with histopathologically confirmed sarcoid-like reactions that developed after cancer remission. The clinical features and findings of CT and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT were assessed. Results The underlying malignancies included breast, nasopharyngeal, colon, and endometrial cancer and lymphoma. The time intervals between complete remission of malignancy and the diagnosis of sarcoid-like reaction ranged from 6 to 78 months. CT findings of sarcoid-like reaction included bilateral hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathies (n = 5), pulmonary nodules (1-15 mm) with peribronchovascular, fissural, or subpleural distribution, and interlobular interstitial thickening in the lungs (n = 4). ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT revealed hypermetabolic uptake in the mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes and both lungs in the absence of extrathoracic uptake (n = 3). The sarcoid-like reactions resolved in all patients after corticosteroid treatment. Conclusion In patients with complete remission of malignancies, newly developed bilateral hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathies with or without pulmonary nodules of perilymphatic distribution, in the absence of recurrence at the primary tumor site and extrathoracic metastasis, may suggest a sarcoid-like reaction. Such cases warrant histologic evaluation of the lymph nodes to prevent unnecessary systemic chemotherapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.63-69
• /
• 1998

Purpose : This study is to evaluate the efficacy of small bowel displacement system(SBDS) in post-operative pelvic radiation therapy(RT) of rectal cancer patients by measurement of small bowel volume included in the radiation fields receiving therapeutic dose. Materials and Method : Ten consecutive new rectal cancer patients referred to the department of Radiation Oncology of Samsung Medical Center in May of 1997 were included in this study. All patients were asked to drink $Castrographin^(R)$ before simulation and were laid prone for conventional simulation and CT scans with and without SBDS. The volume of opacified small bowel on CT scans, which was to be included in the radiation fields receiving therapeutic dose, was measured using Picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Results : The average small bowel volumes with and without SBDS were 176.0ml(5.2-415.6ml) and 185.1ml(54.5-434.2ml), respectively The changes of small bowel volume with SBDS compared to those without SBDS were more than $10\%$ decrease in three, less than 10% decrease in two, less than $10\%$ increase in three, and more than $10\%$ increase in two patients. Conclusion : No significant advantage of using SBDS in post-operative pelvic RT for rectal cancer patients has been shown by small bowel volume measurement using CT scan considering additional effort and time needed for simulation and treatment setup.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.193-204
• /
• 2010

Purpose: To analyze the treatment outcomes, complications, prognostic factors after a long-term follow-up of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiation therapy (RT) alone or concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). Materials and Methods: Between December 1981 and December 2006, 190 eligible patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated at our department with a curative intent. Of these patients, 103 were treated with RT alone and 87 patients received CCRT. The median age was 49 years (range, 8~78 years). The distributions of clinical stage according to the AJCC 6th edition included I: 7 (3.6%), IIA: 8 (4.2%), IIB: 33 (17.4%), III: 82 (43.2%), IVA: 31 (16.3%), IVB: 29 (15.3%). The accumulated radiation doses to the primary tumor ranged from 66.6~87.0 Gy (median, 72 Gy). Treatment outcomes and prognostic factors were retrospectively analyzed. Acute and late toxicities were assessed using the RTOG criteria. Results: A total of 96.8% (184/190) of patients completed the planned treatment. With a mean follow-up of 73 months (range, 2~278 months; median, 52 months), 93 (48.9%) patients had relapses that were local 44 (23.2%), nodal 13 (6.8%), or distant 49 (25.8%). The 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) rates were 55.6% and 44.5%, 54.8% and 51.3%, in addition to 65.3% and 57.4%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that CCRT, age, gender, and stage were significant prognostic factors for OS. The CCRT and gender were independent prognostic factors for both DFS and DSS. There was no grade 4 or 5 acute toxicity, but grade 3 mucositis and hematologic toxicity were present in 42 patients (22.1%) and 18 patients (9.5%), respectively. During follow-up, grade 3 hearing loss in 9 patients and trismus in 6 patients were reported. Conclusion: The results of our study were in accordance with findings of previous studies and we confirmed that CCRT, low stage, female gender, and young age were related to improvement in OS. However, there are limitations in the locoregional control that can be achieved by CCRT with 20 conventional radiation therapy. This observation has led to further studies on clarifying the efficacy of concurrent chemotherapy by intensity modulated radiation therapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.149-158
• /
• 1993

This is a retrospective analysis of 135 patients with invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated with curative radiotherapy from March 1983 through October 1989 at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Kang-Nam 51. Mary's Hospital. Among them, 78 patients received radiotherapy alone and 42 patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and 15 patients were lost to follow up. All patients had follow up from 2 to 106 months (median; 62 months). Age of the patients ranged from 32 to 79 years at presentation (median; 59 years). According to FIGO classification, there were 20 ($16.7{\%}$) in stage IB, 19 ($15.8{\%}$) in stage IIA,49 ($40.8{\%}$) in stage IIB, 5 ($4.2{\%}$) in stage IIIA, 13 ($10.8{\%}$,) in stage IIIB,14 ($11.7{\%}$) in stage IVA. The pathological classification showed 96 ($80.0{\%}$) squamous cell carcinomas, 5 ($4.2{\%}$) adenocarcinomas and 19 ($15.8{\%}$) proven by cytology. The overall 5-year survival rates was $50.8{\%}$, and the 5-year survival rates by stage IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVA was $47.7{\%},\;70.2{\%},\;64.1{\%},\;40.0{\%},\;23.1{\%},\;14.3{\%}$, respectively. The 5-year survival rates was noted $51.2{\%}$ of radiotherapy alone and $50.4{\%}$of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. The overall failure rate was $18.3{\%}$(22/120) including $11.7{\%}$ (14/120) locoregional failure, $5.8{\%}$ (7/120) distant metastasis and $0.8{\%}$(1/120) locoregional failure with distant metastasis. Treatment failure rates by the stages were $15{\%}$ (3/20) in stage IB. $10.5{\%}$ (2/19) in stage IIA, $10.2{\%}$, (5/49) in stage IIB, $20{\%}$ (1/5) in stage IIIA, $61.5{\%}$(8/13) in stage IIB, and $28.6{\%}$ (4/14) in stage IVA. The overall complication rate was $34.2{\%}$(41/120) including wet desquamation $7.5{\%}$, (9/120), diarrhea $6.7{\%}(8/120), radiation proctitis $5.8{\%}$(7/120) in decreasing order. A multivariate analysis of factors influencing the survival showed patient age (p < 0.0291), FIGO stage (p<0.0001), Karnofsky performance status (p<0.0043), initial hemoglobin level (p<0.0001), and intracavitary radiation (p<0.0004), but, no significancy in histology (p<0.29) and treatment method (p < 0.87).