• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.676-685
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• 2001

Background : Angiogenesis is an essential component of tumor growth and metastasis, and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most important angiogenic factors. Several solid tumors produce substantial amounts of VEGF, which stimulates proliferation and the migration of endothelial cells, thereby inducing neovasculization by a paracrine mechanism. To evaluate the prognostic roles of angiogenesis and VEGF expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the relationship between VEGF expression in tumor tissues, the clinicopathologic features and the overall survival rate were analysed. Methods : Sixty-nine resected primary non-small cell lung cancer specimens were evaluated. The paraffin-embedded tumor tissues were stained by anti-VEGF polyclonal antibodies using an immunohistochemical method to assess VEGF expression. Results : In Forty-one patients (59%), the VEGF antigen was expressed weakly in their tumor tissue, whereas in twenty-eight patients (41%) the VEGF antigen was expressed strongly. The median survival time of the weak VEGF expression group was 24 months, and that of the strong VEGF expression group was 19 months. The three year-survival rates were 35%, 33%, respectively. The survival difference between both groups was not statistically significant. Conclusion : Although results were not statistically significant, the strong expression group tended to poorer prognosis than the weak expression group.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2020

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the effects of a PNF intervention using elastic bands on edema, range of motion (ROM), and pain in post-mastectomy patients with upper limb lymphedema, according to their hand grip type. Methods: The subjects were 14 female patients who were at Stage II lymphedema after undergoing mastectomy for Stage II breast cancer. They were randomly divided into an experimental group (n =7) and a control group (n = 7). Both groups participated in a treatment program four times (one time under the therapist's instructions and three times as self-exercise) a week for 4 weeks. Both groups repeated an upper limb PNF pattern exercise for 30 min using elastic bands after receiving a manual lymph drainage treatment for 1 hour. Here, subjects in the experimental group performed the PNF exercise with an open-hand grip by putting their hands into the loops of elastic bands and keeping their fingers spread out. Subjects in the control group performed the PNF exercise with a closed-hand grip by holding the loops of elastic bands with their fingers. In both groups, the subjects' edema, ROM, and pain levels were measured before the intervention and 2, 3 and 4 weeks after the intervention. Results: As a result of the experiment, both groups demonstrated edema reductions, ROM increases, and pain reductions in four areas of the upper limbs. Notably, the experimental group exhibited larger ROM increases in flexion, extension, and abduction as well as greater edema and pain reductions than the control group. In particular, the most significant effects were found in the elbow of the four upper limb areas for edema reductions and in extension for ROM increases. Conclusion: The present study indicates that exercise therapy-based approaches using elastic bands in post-mastectomy patients with upper limb lymphedema can have different effects depending on the type of hand grip (open or closed), which is the body's most distal part. Therefore, these approaches should be based on the conditions of the distal parts of the patient's body for their effective applications in clinical practice.