• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.207-212
• /
• 2004

Purpose: Invasion and metastasis in solid tumors require the action of tumor-associated proteases. The serine protease urokinase-type plasminogen (uPA) and receptor (uPAR) appear to have a major function in these processes. Expression of the uPAR is elevated in breast and colon carcinomas, and this is often associated with invasiveness and poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the expression of the uPAR gene correlates with clinico-pathological parameters in human gastric carcinomas. Materials and Methods: We examined the expression of uPAR mRNA by using northern blot analysis and RT-PCR in 35 gastric carcinomas and the surrounding normal mucosa. Macroscopic and histopathological tumor findings and survival rates were obtained from the patient records and from endoscopic, surgical, and pathological reports. Results: The expression of uPAR and was higher in most neoplasms than in the corresponding normal mucosal tissue. uPAR mRNA expression in tumors correlated well with lymph-node metastasis (P<0.02) and tumor stage (P<0.01). The survival rate of patients with tumors displaying high uPAR expression levels was significantly lower (P<0.04) than that of patients without uPAR expression, but IL-8 showed only the tendency of survival difference. Conclusion: These results suggest that uPAR may be an important prognostic factor in human gastric carcinomas.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 1992

From the one hundred forty eight patients with evidence of biliary tract obstruction, 275 bile samples were obtained from percutaneously placed biliary drainage catheters. Of the 148 patients, ova of Clonorchis sinensis were demonstrated in 17 patients (11.5%), with the epithelial cells. Among them, one case also demonstrated coexisting adenocarcinoma. In 105 patients, the medical records were available for review and the clinical diagnoses were malignancy in 99 patients and benign lesion in 6 patients. Of the 99 patients in which clinico-radiologic diagnosis were malignant, cytologic results were positive in 23.2%. Dividing the patients Into two groups, the ones with tumor of bile duct origin (group I) and the others with tumors producing extrinsic compression of bile duct, such as periampullary carcinoma, pancreas head carcinoma or metastatic carcinoma in lymph nodes from tumors of adjacent organs (group II), the cytologic results were positive in 37% and 11.6%, respectively. In patients with histologic confirmation, the positive correlation was found in 50% and 20% in group I and group II, respectively, with remarkable difference between two groups. There were no false positives in cytologic diangosis. The overall concordance rate of cytologic diagnosis with diagnosis of clinical investigation in both benign and malignant lesions was 27.6% and the diagnostic specificity was 100%.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.64-70
• /
• 2009

Purpose: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. However, the introduction of gemcitabine and the recognition of a benefit in patients with advanced disease stimulated the design of trials that compare chemotherapy alone to concurrent chemoradiation. Therefore, we evaluated role of CCRT for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. Materials and Methods: We carried out a retrospective analysis of treatment results for patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer between January 2000 and January 2008. The radiation was delivered to the primary tumor and regional lymph nodes with a 1~2 cm margin at a total dose of 36.0~59.4 Gy (median: 54 Gy). The chemotherapeutic agent delivered with the radiation was 5-FU (500 mg/$m^2$). The patients who underwent chemotherapy alone received gemcitabine (1,000 mg/$m^2$) alone or gemcitabine with 5-FU. The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 38 months. The survival and prognostic factors were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, respectively. Results: Thirty-four patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy, whereas 21 patients received chemotherapy alone. The median survival time was 12 months for CCRT patients, compared to 11 months for chemotherapy alone patients (p=0.453). The median progression-free survival was 8 months for CCRT patients, compared to 5 months for chemotherapy alone patients (p=0.242). The overall response included 9 partial responses for CCRT and 1 partial response for chemotherapy alone. In total, 26% of patients from the CCRT group experienced grade 3~4 bowel toxicity. In contract, no grade 3~4 bowel toxicity was observed in the chemotherapy alone group. The significant prognostic factors of overall survival were lymph node status, high CA19-9, and tumor location. Conclusion: The response rate and progression-free survival were more favorable in the CCRT group, when compared with the chemotherapy alone group. Therefore, radiation therapy seems to be an effective tool for local tumor control.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.142-148
• /
• 2008

Purpose: We analyzed the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of breast conserving surgery, followed by postoperative radiotherapy.Materials and Methods: A total of 424 breast cancer patients treated with breast conserving surgery and postoperative radiotherapy between February 1992 and January 2001 were retrospectively analyzed. A quadrantectomy and axillary lymph node dissection was performed in 396 patients. A total of 302 patients had T1 disease, and 122 patients had T2 disease. Lymph node involvement was confirmed in 107 patients. Whole breast irradiation was administered at up to 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions, followed by a 10 Gy boost in 5 fractions to the tumor bed. In addition, 57 patients underwent regional lymph node irradiation. Moreover, chemotherapy was administered in 231 patients. A regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil was most frequently used with 170 patients. The median follow-up time was 64 months. Results: The 5-year local control rate was 95.6%. During the follow-up period, local tumor recurrence was observed in 15 patients. The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 93.1% and 88.7%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates, by stage, were 94.8% for stage I, 95.0% for stage IIA, 91.1% for stage IIB, 75.9% for stage IIIA, and 57.1% for stage IIIC. As for disease-free survival, the corresponding figures, by stage (in the same order), were 93.1%, 89.4%, 82.8%, 62.0%, and 28.6%, respectively. The advanced N stage (p=0.0483) was found to be a significant prognostic factor in predicting poor overall survival, while the N stage (p=0.0284) and age at diagnosis (p=0.0001) were associated with disease-free survival. Conclusion: This study has shown that breast conserving surgery and postoperative radiotherapy for early breast cancer results was excellent for local control and survival.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.207-214
• /
• 2009

Purpose: Subtotal distal gastrectomy has been accepted as the standard treatment for early gastric cancer that's developed on the gastric body. EMR and ESD have been introduced to minimize the incidence of postgastrectomy syndrome, but these procedures can not detect lymph node metastasis and they have a risk for gastric perforation. Segmental gastrectomy has recently been applied for treating early gastric cancer, but its usefulness has not been clarified. The aim of this study was to compare segmental gastrectomy and distal gastrectomy with Billroth I reconstruction for treating early gastric cancer that's developed on the gastric body. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all the patients who were diagnosed as having early gastric cancer that developed on the gastric body at Chungnam National University Hospital from January 2004 through July 2007. During this period, 41 patients received segmental gastrectomy and 40 patients underwent subtotal distal gastrectomy. All the patients were studied via a biannual review of the body systems, a physical examination, endoscopy, computed tomography and the laboratory findings. Results: There were no significantly differences of the clinicopathologic characteristics between the two groups. The changes of the nutritional status (Hb, TP, Alb and TC) and the body weight change were not significantly different between the 2 groups. There were significantly more residual food in the SG group than that in the SDG group (RGB classification, Residual>Grade 2), but there were no differences for epigastric discomfort (P>0.05). Esophagitis developed at a similar rate for both two groups (LA classification, >Grade A), and bile reflux was found in only one patient of each group. Conclusion: We expected the reduction of esophagitis and gastritis and the improvement of nutritional status according to the type of procedure. Yet the results of our study showed no significant differences between the two study groups. More patients and a longer follow up time are needed for determining the advantage sand disadvantages of segmental gastrectomy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.177-181
• /
• 2000

배경 및 목적: Theodor Kocker에 의해 일반화된 전통적인 갑상선 수술방법은 갑상선 질환의 종류 및 정도, 수술범위와 상관없이 광범위한 수술범위로 인한 조직 손상으로 인해 수술후 환자들의 여러가지 불편감은 물론 경부의 넓은 부위의 통증과 경부 피부부종, 장액종, 혈종 등과 같은 후유증을 동반할 수 있다. 최근 본 저자들은 이같은 전통적 갑상선 수술의 부작용을 최소화하기 위해 작은 피부절개($3{\sim}4.5cm$) 후 피하 피판(subplatysmal skin flap) 없이 직접 갑상선으로 접근하는 새로운 수술기법으로서 최소침습 갑상선 수술기법을 개발하였기에 그 술식을 소개하고 전통적인 갑상선 절제술에 대한 우월성을 확인하고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1999년 1월 15일 부터 2000년 1월 14일까지 573예의 갑상선 수술 예 중 최소침습 갑상선절제술이 시행되었던 466예와 1998년 1월 15일부터 1999년 1월 14일까지 전통적 갑상선 수술을 시행한 549예 중 거대 종양(양성>6cm, 악성>5cm), 흉골하 선종, 국소진행암, 재발암, 측경부의 다발성 림프절 전이가 있었던 112예를 제외한 437예의 임상병리적 특성과 피부절개 길이, 수술 시간, 수술중 출혈양, 수술후 진통제 요구빈도 및 재윈기간, 수술 후 합병증 발생빈도를 비교 분석하였다. 결 과: 두 군간의 임상병리적 특성상의 유의한 차이는 없었다. 피부절개 길이($3.7{\pm}0.7cm,\;vs\;9.6{\pm}3.3cm$), 수술 시간($57.6{\pm}11.7$분 vs $85.2{\pm}32.3$분) 수술 중 출혈양($18.4{\pm}15.3ml\;vs\;43.1{\pm}21.8ml$), 수술후 재원기간($1.6{\pm}0.5$일 vs $4.3{\pm}1.6$일), 및 수술후 진통제 요구빈도가 전통적 수술군에 비해 최소침습 수술군에서 통계적으로 유의하게 감소되었으나(p<0.05), 수술후 장액종 및 혈종 형성, 일시적인 음색변화, 일시적인 저칼슘혈증과 같은 합병증의 발생빈도는 각각 4.3%(n=20)와 4.8%(n=21)로 두 군간에 유의한 차이가 없었다. 결 론: 최소침습 갑상선 수술법은 새로운 수술기구의 도입 없이도 갑상선 수술의 충분한 시야를 확보할 수 있고 안전하고 간단하게 시행할 수 있으며, 기존 수술법으로 인한 부작용을 최소화할 수 있어 전통적 인 수술법을 대치할 수 있는 새로운 방법으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.35-38
• /
• 2015

62-year-old patient who had past history of endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer at September 2008, underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection of esophagus for early esophageal cancer at mid esophagus during health screening service. Because there was a high risk of lymph node metastasis at biopsy results, concurrent chemoradiotherapy was added to endoscopic submucosal dissection. There was a metachronous cancer at mid-esophagus at March 2013. He underwent endoscopic mucosal resection and photodynamic therapy. Concurrentchemoradiotherapy after endoscopic submucosal dissection is an effective treatment method.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.39 no.11 s.268
• /
• pp.828-837
• /
• 2006

Background: Tissue hypoxia is characteristic of many human malignant neoplasm, and hypoxia inducible factor-1(HIF-1) plays a pivotal role in essential adaptive response to hypoxia, and activates a signal pathway for the expression of the hypoxia-regulated genes, resulting in increasing $O_2$ delivery or facilitating metabolic adaptation to hypoxia. Increased level of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ has been reported in many human malignancies, but in non-small cell lung carcinoma the influence of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ on tumor biology, including neovascularization, is not still defined. In present study the relationship of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression on angiogenetic factors, relationship between the tumor proliferation and HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression, interaction of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression and p53, and relationship between HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression and clinico-pathological prognostic parameters were investigated. Material and Method: Archival tissue blocks recruited in this study were retrieved from fifty-nine patients with primary non-small cell lung carcinoma, who underwent pneumonectomy or lobectomy from 1997 to 1999. HIF-$1{\alpha}$, VEGF(vascular endothelial growth factor), and p53 protein expression and Ki-67 labeling index in tumor tissues were evaluated, using a standard avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex(ABC) immunohistochemistry. Relationship between the HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression and VEGF, p53 overexpression and correlation between the HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expresseion and Ki-67 index were analyzed. Clinico-pathologic prognostic parameters were also analyzed. Result: HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression in cancer cells was found in 24 of 59 cases of non-small cell lung carcinoma(40.7%). High HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression was significantly associated with several pathological parameters, such as pathological TMN stage(p=0.004), pT stage(p=0.020), pN stage (p=0.029), and lymphovascular invasion(p=0.019). High HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression was also significantly associated with VEGF immunoreactivity(p<0.001), and aberrant p53 expression(p=0.040). but was marginally associated with Ki-67 labeling index(p=0.092). The overall 5-year survival rate was 42.3%. The survival curve of patients with a high HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression was worse than that of patients with low-expression(p=0.002). High HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression was independent unfavorable factors with a marginal significance in multivariate analysis performed by Cox regression. Conclusion: It is suggested that high HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression may be associated with intratumoral neovascularization possibly through HIF-VEGF pathway, and high HIF-$1{\alpha}$ expression could be associated with lymph node metastasis and post operative poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.27-34
• /
• 2003

Purpose : To evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy, and the factors affecting survival in patients of extrahepatic bile duct cancer, by analyzing the results of postoperative radiotherapy Materials and Methods : Between October 1991 and July 2001, 21 patients with extrahepatic bile duct cancer, who received radiotherapy after a radical resection, were retrospectively reviewed. The patients' ages ranged from 39 to 75 years, with a median of 61 years, and a male to female ratio of 16 to 5. The numbers of patients with proximal and distal bile duct cancer were 14 and 7, respectively. From the postoperative pathological examination, 19 of the patients were found to have microscopic residues, and 7 to be lymph node positive. Patients with AJCC stages I, II and III were 10, 10 and 1, respectively. The total radiation dose administered was 4,500$\~$6,300 cGy, with a median dose of 5,040 cGy. The follow up period was 20$\~$81 months, with a median of 57.5 months. Results : The overall and disease free survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 41.0 and 29.3$\%$, and 41.6 and 29.7$\%$, respectively. The influences of age, sex, tumor location, differentiation, microscopic residue, neural invasion, 7 and N stage, the stage itself, the dose of radiation and chemotherapy, on survival were evaluated. The T stage and the stage itself were found to be significant from a univariate analysis (p<0.05), but the degree of significance was limited by the small number of patients. A recurrence occurred in 12 patients (57.1$\%$), 5 in locoregional sites, 4 in distant sites and 3 in a combination of locoregional and distant sites, and the sites of distant metastasis were the liver, 6, and the bone, 1 Grade 2 or 3 acute leucopenias occurred in 2 patients and grade 2 chronic peptic ulcers occurred in 4, who were all recovered by conservative management. Conclusion : Postoperative radiotherapy is feasigbls in extrah데atic bile duct cancer, with tolerable toxicity, but prospective studies, with a large patient enrollment, are needed for the evaluation of the effects of postoperative radiotherapy and the related prognostic factors.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.264-279
• /
• 1997

Background : To analyze the morphologic characteristics of low density lymph node in etiologic differentiation of lymphadenopathy, emphasizing the different features between tuberculosis and lung cancer, on contrast enhanced CT scan. Method : A total of 64 patients who showed low density lymph nodes on chest CT scan were analyzed. Primary causes were tuberculosis (n=28), lung cancer (n=27), malignant lymphoma (n=5) and metastasis from extrathoracic malignancies (n=4). CT scan was performed with 10mm slice thickness and 7 characteristic features were evaluated : location, size, presence or absence of the nonnecrotic lymph node, calcification, perinodal fat obliteration, thickness and evenness of the enhancing rim. Results : In patients with tuberculous lymphadenopathy, lymph nodes with uneven (68.0%) and thick (62.1%) enhancing rim were more common than lung cancer (p<0.05). Low density lymph nodes with less than 1 cm in size were found only in tuberculous lymphadenopathy(n=10). In 48.2% of patients with lung cancer, more than 1 nonnecrotic enlarged lymph node were coexisted, whereas 21.4% in patients with tuberculous lymphadenopathy(p=0.06). However, the size, location and calcification were not statistically significant between tuberculous lymphadenopathy and lung cancer. Conclusion : Tuberculous lymphadenopathy is strongly suggested when enhancing rim of enlarged lymph nodes is uneven and thick, when the coexisting nonnecrotic lymph nodes are few in number and when central low density is encountered in normal sized lymph nodes.