• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.49-54
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• 2009

Purpose: To report on the clinical outcome of patients with stage I testicular seminoma by postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) or surveillance after radical inguinal orchiectomy. Materials and Methods: This study is a retrospective review of 32 stage I pure seminoma patients treated between 1996 and 2005 at the Samsung Medical Center. Twenty two of the patients were treated by PORT, which was directed at the paraaortic lymphatics with a median dose of 25.2 Gy in 14 fractions for 3 weeks. The 10 remaining patients were managed by surveillance. The median follow-up period was 96 months with a range of 24 to 155 months. Results: Clinically, most patients presented with a testicular mass or discomfort. Two of the patients had a history of undescended testes. Pathologically, 23 of the patients had intratubular germ cell neoplasia with seminoma. Both recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) rates of patients treated by PORT were 100%. In the control group, 1 of the 10 patients suffered a para-aortic lymph node relapse. The RFS and OS rates of the surveillance group were 88.9% and 100%, respectively. Conclusion: No difference in survival was observed between the two groups. Moreover, symptom recurrence was only observed in 1 patient in the control group. The use of PORT may reduce the risk of relapse. With the availability of effective diagnostic and salvage modalities, surveillance monitoring may be considered for patients in good compliance.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.282-287
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• 2004

Purpose: Since preoperative staging in esophageal cancer is important in both therapy and prognosis, there had been many efforts to improve its accuracy. Recent studies indicate that whole body FDG-PET has high sensitivity in detection of metastasis in esophageal cancer. Therefore, we added FDG-PET to other conventional methods in staging esophageal cancer to evaluate the usefulness of this method. Materials & Methods: Subjects were 142 esophageal cancer patients (average $62.3{\pm}8.3$ yrs) who received CT and PET just before operation. First, we compared N stage and M stage of the CT or PET with those of the post-operative results. Then we compared the stage according to the EUS (T stage) and CT (N and M stage) or SUS (T stage) and CT & PET (N and M stage) to that according to the post-operative results. Results: Among 142 patients, surgical staging of 69 were N0 and 73 were N1. In M staging, 128 were M0 and 14 were M1. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of N staging were 35.6%, 89.9%, 62.0% with CT and 58.9%, 71.0%, 64.7% with PET, respectively. In M staging, 14.3%, 96.9%, 88.7% with CT and 50.0%, 94.5%, 90.1%, with PET, respectively. The concordances of [EUS+CT] and [EUS+CT+PET] with post-operative results were 41.2% and 54.6%, respectively and there was significant improvement of staging with additional PET scan (p<0.005). Conclusion: The concordance of [EUS+CT+PET] with post-operative result was significantly increased compared to that of [EUS+CT]. Thus, the addition of FDG-PET with other conventional methods may enable more accurate preoperative staging.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.261-268
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• 2003

Purpose: To report the results of curative treatment for patients with tonsil cancer by retrospective analysis. Materials and Methods: From Jan. 1995 till Dec. 2000, 27 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil received curative treatment at Samsung Medical Center. Therapeutic decision was made through multidisciplinary conference, and curative radiation therapy was favored when, (1) the patient's condition was not fit for general anesthesia and surgery, (2) the patient refused surgery, (3) complete resection was presumed impossible, or (4) too severe disability was expected after surgery. Surgery was the main local modality in 17 patients (S$\pm$RT group), and radiation therapy in 10 (RT$\pm$CT group). The median follow-up period was 41 months. Results: AJCC stages were I/II in four, III in two, and IV in 21 patients. The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 73.3$\%$ in all patients, 70.6$\%$ in the S$\pm$RT group, and 77.8$\%$ in the RT$\pm$CT group. Treatment failure occurred in seven patients, all with stage III/IV, and all the failures occurred within 24 months of the start of treatment. Five patients among the S$\pm$CT group developed treatment failures; 2 local, 2 regional, and 1 distant (crude rate=29.4$\%$). Two patients among the RT$\pm$CT group developed failures; 1 synchronous local and regional, and 1 distant (crude rate=20.0$\%$). The 5-year overall survival rate was 77.0$\%$ in all patients, 80.9$\%$ in the S$\pm$RT group, and 70.0$\%$ in the RT$\pm$CT group. Conclusion: We could achieve favorable results that were comparable to previously reported data with respect to both the rates of local control and of survival by applying S$\pm$RT and RT$\pm$CT. RT$\pm$CT is judged to be an alternative option that can avoid the functional disability after surgical resection.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.314-321
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• 1995

Background: Flow cytometric study has been used to measure the DNA content of solid tumors for the last decade. DNA ploidy is an important property commonly measured by flow cytometry. The possibility to study archival paraffin-embedded tumors has hastened an appreciation of prognostic utility of this method. The aim of this study is to look for biologic prognostic indicator for survival time of patients with small cell carcinoma of lung in addition to the well known clinical prognostic factors. Method: DNA ploidy was measured by flow cytometric method using tumor cells isolated from paraffin embedded tissue. To evaluate the prognostic significance, DNA ploidy of small cell lung cancer was analysed in 42 patients who died after receiving anticancer chemotherapy. Results: 1) Mean survival time of all patients was 190(${\pm}156$) days. Survival time was shortened, when TNM stage and PS scale were advanced. 2) 62% of all patients was DNA aneuploidy. DNA ploidy had nothing to do with advance of TNM stage and PS scale. 3) Mean survival time of aneuploid tumor was significantly shorter($138{\pm}90$ days) than that of diploid tumors($272{\pm}197$ days).(p<0.001) 4) To exclude the influence of clinical prognostic factors such as TNM stage and PS scale, the analysis was restricted to subgroups of identical stage. We were able to find the same tendency. Conclusion: DNA ploidy is an independent prognostic factor in small cell lung cancer.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2004

The disease occurrence rate of the cancer is rapidly increased and It is becoming the main factor for the death The chemical therapy for preventing the cancer is recently used for many patients and thus extended the life of the patients. However, the side effect caused by the medical substances when performing the chemical therapy for preventing the cancer and the consequent mental and social problem are incurred to deteriorate the quality of the life. Therefore, it is needed to help the patient In order to reduce the above problems, and so this study was executed in order to examine the effect of the individual education on the quality of the life of the patients who are treated by the chemical therapy for preventing the cancer. The study was performed from Jan. 19. 2004 to Apr. 18. 2004 for the patients who were firstly treated by the chemical therapy for preventing the cancer in a university hospital located in the downtown in Seoul. The individual education on the chemical therapy for preventing the cancer was provided to 40 patients of the experimental group. The study plan is the experimental plan before and after the sole group, and it is the beginning experimental plan. The title of the booklet on the chemical therapy for preventing the cancer is "Cancer, The more you know, the more you can be cured", and the book was composed up of the side effect of the chemical therapy for preventing the cancer, treatment way for the side effect, and guide of the daily life. The survey with the questionnaire sheet was distributed to the experi- mental group before the education, the survey sheet was made out when they were hospitalized for 3-4 weeks after the education, and the data were examined by using SPSS statistical program with making our the survey questionnaires and the change of the quality of the life before and after the education of the patients who are treated by the chemical therapy for preventing the cancer was analyzed by using the parred t-test. The research result was verified that it has the meaningful that the quality of the life for the physical field, mental field, social field, and spiritual field after the individual education. The suggestion concluded by the above research result is as follows. First, there is the limitation to interpret the result since it was the beginning experimental plan for the sole group. Thus, it is suggested that the similar experimental plan should be executed with the expansion of the research subject and also with the contrast group. Second, it is suggested that the study on the change of the quality of the lifeaccording to the support of the individual education and family of the patients who are treated by the anti-cancer therapy.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.115-130
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• 1995

The incidence of oral complications among adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy varies from 12 to 80%. Adequate oral hygiene has been shown to be important in prevention of oral complication and an essential role is reserved for the nursing staff. These considerations prompted the decision to survey by means of a questionaire, the nurses who give care to cancer patients. The Questions were included multidisciplinary treatment, inspection skill, nursing intervention, nursing education, problem in mouth care, solution for problem solving. - Results are fellow : 1. A total of 116 of the nurses returned the questionaire 2. According to 88.2% of the respondents, the policy with regard to oral-hygine is determined by the physician and the nurse. 62.1% of nurses do not consult the dentist When oral complication is occured. 3. In only 34.5% of case was a penight used to provide the necessary extra illumination nursing Inspection of oral cavity. 4. Frequency of oral complications observed by the respondents is that they observed complications in < 25% of patients. The nature of the complication varied from ulcer, stomatitis, infection, dry mouth, candidiasis, herpes simplix, bleeding. 5. Percentages of respondents who use the intervention indicated 1) to prevent oral complication : 0.9% normal saline gargling(44%), 0.02% chlorhexidine gargling, oral dressing(38.8%), observation, nutrition, restriction of alcohol and tabaco(23.2%) 2) to deal with the early symptoms 0.9% normal saline gargling (47.4%), cryotherapy(37.9%), 0.02% chlorhexidine gargling(20.7%) 3) to help alleviate severe complications : dental consult, holding the chemotherapy(34.5%), 0.9% normal saline gargling(31.1%), cryotherapy(18.0%) 6. According to 70% of the respondents, insufficient attention is given to oral complication during nursing education classes only 8.6% said that both the theory and the practical aspects had been deal with in sufficient detail during their training. The results of the survey indicate thatoral care in cancer patients undergoing chemothrapy has a number of problem. There are not enough dentist to provide the necessary care for patients undergoing chemotherapy. The expertise of the nurses with respect to the pathogenesis of the complication is limited. In the training of nurses, additional attention to oral examinations and oral hygine is warranted. The care of patients should be the responsibility of a multidisciplinary team approach. The nurse occupies a key position with in this team, which includes the medical oncologist, a dentist.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 1998

Purpose : Although local recurrence rates of stomach cancer after radiocal surgery have been reported in the range of $30-70\%$, the role of postoperative adjuvant therapy has not been established. We report the result of radiotherapy in resected stomach cancer with positive surgical margin to elucidate the role of postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods : From June 1991 to August 1996, twenty five patients with positive surgical margins after radical gastrectomy were treated with postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Median dose of radiation was 55.8Gy and the range was 44.6-59.4Gy. Second cycle of chemotherapy was delivered concurrently with radiation and total number of six cycles were delivered. Twenty three had adenocarcinoma and the other two had leiornyosarcoma. The numbers of patients with stage I B, II, III A, III B, and IV were 1, 2, 11, 10 and 1 respectively. Positive margins at distal end of the stomach were in 17 patients and proximal in 5. The other three patients had positive margin at the sites of adjacent organ invasion Minimum and median follow-up periods were 12 months and 18 months, respectively, Results : Twenty-four of 25 patients received prescribed radiation dose and RTOG grade 3 toxicity of UGI tract was observed in 3, all of which were weight loss more than $15\%$ of their pretreatment weight. But hematemesis. melena, intestinal obstruction or grade 4 toxicity were not found. Locoregional failure within the radiation field was observed in 7 patients, and distant metastasis in 10 patients. Sites of locoregional recurrences involve anastomosis/remnant stomach in 3, tumor bed/duodenal stump in 3, regional lymph node in 1 patient Peritoneal seeding occurred in 6, liver metastases months and median disease free survival time was 26 months. Stages andradiation dose were not significant prognostic factors for locoregional in 2, and distant nodes in 2 patients. Four year disease specificsurvival rate was $40\%$ and disease free survival was $48\%$. Median survival was 35 failures. Conculsion : Although all patients in this study had positive surgical margins, locoregional failure rate was $28\%$, and 4 year disease specific survival rate was $40\%$. Considering small number of patients and relatively short follow-up period, it is not certain that postoperative radiotherapy lowered locoregional recurrences. but we could find a Possibility of the role of postoperative radiotherapy in Patients with high risk factors.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.1279-1291
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• 2000

The main objectives of this study were to analyze the concept of hope, so to provide basic data to develop a valid instrument to measure hope, and to develop hope enhancing nursing intervention a program for cancer patients. The hybrid model approach was applied in three phases, the theoretical phase, the empirical phase, and the analytic phase. The study was developed on universal attributes explaining generalized hope and specific hope, which were revealed in a comprehensive review of the literature. In the empirical phase, eight cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy were interviewed to reveal causes, motivation, and their resource of hope according to The Hope Assessment Guide (Farren, Herth, & Popovich, 1995). In the analytical phase, the results of the two previous stages of the study were compared. The results were as follows : In the theoretical phase, six dimensions of hope emerged; affective, cognitive, behavioral, affiliative, temporal and contextual dimension. The antecedent of hope was loss, crisis, uncertainity, and stress. The consequences were renewal, development of new methods, safety, peace and transcendental competence. In the empirical phase, these six dimensions emerged as theoretical phases were verified and specified as these descriptive terms: feeling, intention, expectation, activity, relation, future- orientation, reality and goal-setting. The antecedent factor of hope was occurrence or recurrence of cancer. The consequence of hope was ability to cope with real condition, feeling of safety and comfort, peace, development of new strategy and recovery of disease. The major content of hope in this phase was related to specific hope, but it was also influenced on by general hope. In the analytic phase, general and specific hope was renamed as trait and state hope. All attributes emerged at the empirical phases, and also emerged at the theoretical phase. However, cognitive and contextual dimensions were revised and specified. In conclusion, the concept of hope is divided into trait hope and state hope, and state hope is an anticipatory expectation that occurs at the time of a stressful stimulus, such as being diagnosed with cancer. Hope is a multidimensional dynamic energized mental state which has the dimensions of affective, cognitive, behavioral, affiliative, temporal and contextual. There should be further studies to develope the state and trait hope scale according to definition and attributes of hope investigated in this study. In addition, considering results of the empirical phase, the family is very a important factor as a resource of hope, so it is necessary to consider family in implementing a nursing intervention program to enhance hope.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 2009

The clinical significance of hepatic resection for gastric metastases is controversial, even though hepatic resection has been widely accepted as a modality for colorectal metastases. Very few patients with gastric hepatic metastases are good candidates for hepatic resection because of multiple bilateral metastases, extrahepatic disease, or advanced cancer progression, such as peritoneal dissemination or extensive lymph node metastases. Therefore, several authors have reported the clinical significance of hepatic resection for gastric metastases in a small number of patients. Considering the present results with previous reports. The number and distribution of tumors in hepatic metastases from gastric cancer was considered based on the present and previous reports. Several authors have reported significantly better survival in patients with metachronous metastasis than in those with synchronous disease. However, metachronous hepatic resection necessitates the dissection of adhesions between the pancreas, liver, and residual stomach to prepare for Pringle's maneuver. Patients with unilobar liver metastasis, and/or metastatic tumors <4 cm in diameter may be good candidates for hepatic resection. Synchronous metastasis is not a contraindication for hepatic resection. Most of the long-term survivors underwent anatomic hepatic resection with a sufficient resection margin. After hepatic resection, the most frequent site of recurrence was the remaining liver, which was associated with a high frequency of mortality within 2 years. A reasonable strategy for improvement in survival would be to prevent recurrence by means of adjuvant chemotherapy and careful follow-up studies.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.233-239
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• 1991

This is a retrospective study of 62 patients with unresected squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus treated by radiotherapy alone (25 patients) or combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy (37 patients). Of these, 14 of 25 patients treated by radiation therapy alone and 25 of 37 patients treated by combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy completed radiotherapy consisting of 55 to 60 Gy in 5 to 6 weeks and were analyzed for local control rate and survival rate. Follow up ranged from 6 days to 58 months. Three ($8\%$) of 39 patients had a complete response, twenty-eight ($72\%$) a partial response and eight ($20\%$) minimal or no response. Overall median survival was 11 months for all stages. The 1 year and 2 year actuarial survival rates were $48.6\%$ and $13\%$ respectively. Age and stage had prognostic significances (p <0.05, p<0.05 respectively). The 1 year survival rate was $70.1\%$ for stage I, $47.6\%$ for stage II, and $28.4\%$ for stage III. The median survival was 19 months for stage I, 11 months for stage II, 6 months for stage III, and 5.5 months for stage III with distant metastases. The 1 year survival rate of patients 55 years and above was $69.6\%$, 54 years and below was $0\%$. There was no significant difference in survival rate between treatment modalities, locations of tumor, and responses of tumor.