• 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.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.253-263
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• 1991

Twenty-seven patients with unresectable extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma (n=21) or with microscopic evidence of tumor rest after aggressive surgery for extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma (n=6) between 1985 and 1990 were given radiotherapy consisting intentionally external radiotherapy and/or intraluminal therapy using Gamma-Med 12i (192-Ir) high dose rate (HDR) remote control afterloading system following bile drainage procedures and Gianturco stent insertion. The objectives of this study has been to assess the feasibility and effects on survival of a combination of external radiotherapy and brachytherapy with which we hope to achieve optimal loco-regional control for patients with unresectable extrahepatic bile duct tumors. Sixteen patients were men and eleven were women, and the mean age was 58 years (34-70). 10MV X-ray was used for radiation therapy, with the total dose ranging from 45 Gy to 55 Gy, and intraluminal brachytherapy performed after external radiotherapy, with the dose of total 15 Gy. The minimum follow up was 12 months. Failure were predominantly local-regional, without distant failure. Median survival was 10 months; 2-year actuarial survival rates was $21\%$. Median survival for common hepatic duct (CHD) cancer was 9 months; for common bile duct (CBD) cancer, was 16 months. And median survival for incomplete surgery/external radiotherapy group and external/intraluminal radiotherapy group was 10 months; for external radiotherapy alone group, was 6 months. Use of chemotherapy and/or hyperthermia were not affected in survival. Therefore, our result is that the survival rates in the group of external/intraluminal radiotherapy were comparable with ones in the group of incomplete resection/external radiotherapy, and so we believe that the aggressive local and regional radiotherapy can improve the quality of life and the survival length.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 2015

Purpose: We aimed to investigate how serum vitamin D levels are related to survival of terminally ill cancer patients. Methods: From May 2012 through June 2013, a retrospective chart review was performed on 96 hospice patients. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with severe vitamin D deficiency and Coxcy and Coxional hazard analyses were used to evaluate effects on survival. Results: The mean vitamin D level in patients was $8.60{\pm}7.16ng/ml$. Vitamin D was severely deficient (<10 ng/ml) in 75 patients (78.2%), deficient (10~20 ng/ml) in 13 patients (13.5%), relatively insufficient (21~29 ng/ml) in five patients (8.3%) and sufficient ((t ng/ml) in three patients (3.1%). Hyperbilirubinemia (${\geq}1.2g/dl$) was the only factor associated with severe vitamin D deficiency according to the multiple logistic regression analysis (Odds ratio, OR=18.48, P<0.05). Although hyperbilirubinemia showed a strong association with survival (Hazard ratio, HR=2.25, P<0.01), no association was found between severe vitamin D deficiency and survival (HR=1.15, P>0.05) in Cox's proportional hazard analysis. Conclusion: Although serum vitamin D levels were severely low in terminally ill cancer patients, we found no association between severe vitamin D deficiency and patient survival.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 1996

Purpose : To improve treatment modality and results by analysis of clinical characteristics, local control, survival and recurrence rate in limited stage small cell lung cancer. Materials and Methods : patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer were treated with combined radiation and chemotherapy from Feb. 1986 to Dec. 1992 at the National Medical Center We followed up on 21 patients ($81\%$), who were mostly irradiated with 4,000-5.000cGy ($75\%$ of all Patients) in the results by the analysis retrospectively. Survival rate was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method Results : Mean survival of irradiated patients with limited small cell lung cancer was 12 months. 1-rear and 2-rear survival rate were $65.3\%$ and $15.4\%$ Tumor response rate and median survival after combined chemotherapy and irradiation were the following: $50\%$ and 15 months of complete response, and $23\%$ and 11 months of partial response respectively. Response rates by radiation dose were $66\%$ for below 4,000cGy $69\%$ for between 4,000-5,000cGy and $86\%$ for above 5,000cGy. 21 of all patients showed treatment failure($81\%$) which as appeared 9 of local failure.9 of distant failure and 3 of local and distant failure. Conclusion : Local response rate after induction chemotherapy alone in limited stage of small cell lung cancer was $54\%$. Furthermore it was increased to $73\%$ after adding of radiation. We have to increase radiation dose above 5,000cGy and need to try new effective chemotherapy agents for the improvement of local control and survival rate and also will try concurrent chemoradiotherapy in near time.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2003

Purpose :To analyze the survival period, prognostic factors and complications of patients having undergone high-dose-rate intraluminal brachytherapy (HDR-ILB) as a salvage radiation therapy, while having a catheter, for percutaneous transhepatic billary drainage (PTBD), inserted due to biliary obstruction caused by a secondary malignant biliary tumor Methods and Materials : A retrospective study was performed on 24 patients having undergone HDR-ILB, with PTBD catheter Insertion, be)ween December 1992 and August 2001. Their median age was 58.5, ranging from 35 to 82 years. The primary cancer site were the stomach, gallbladder, liver, pancreas and the colon, with 12, 6, 3, 2 and 1 cases, respectively. Eighteen patients were treated with external beam radiation therapy and HDR-lLB, while slx were treated with HDR-lLB only. The 4otal external beam, and brachytherapy radiations dose were 30$\~$61.2 and 9$\~$30 Gy, with median doses of 50 and 15 Gy, respectively. Results : Of the 24 patients analyzed, 22 died during the follow-up period, with a median survival of 7.3 months. The 6 and 12 months survival rates were 54.2 (13 patients) and 20.8$\%$ (5 patients), respectively. The median survivals for stomach and gailbladder cancers were 7.8 and 10.2 months, respectively, According to the unlvariate analysis, a significant factor affecting survival of over one year was the total radiation dose (over 50 Gy) (o=0.0200), with all )he patients surviving more than one year had been Irradiated with more than 50 Gy. The acute side effects during the radiation therapy were managed with conservative treatment. During the follow-up period, 5 patients showed symptoms of cholangltis due to the radiation therapy Conclusion :An extension to the survival of those patients treated with HDR-ILB is suggested compared to the median historical survival of 4hose patients treated with external biliary drainage. A boost radiation dose could be effectively given, by performing HDR-lLB, which is a prognostic factor In addition, the acute complications of radiation therapy were effectively controlled by conservative management, and It could be regarded as a safe treatment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.465-472
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• 2005

Background : The survival benefit associated with first-line chemotherapy in lung cancer has led to the need for second-line chemotherapy, for which Docetaxel ($Taxotere^{(R)}$) has proven efficacy in both settings. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of docetaxel in patients with non-small cell lung cancer who had failed first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Methods : Thirty one patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, who had failed first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, between March 1999 and August 2003, were enrolled in this study. Patients received intravenous docetaxel, either $75mg/m^2$ or $100mg/m^2$, with routine premedication every three weeks. Results : Fourteen patients (45.2%) had a partial response. The median survival and progression-free survival times were 12.5 months (95% CI 7.3-17.6) and 3.0 months (95% CI 1.6-4.5), respectively. This study showed 2 factors gave different survival benefits; the age (< 60 years: 20.1 months vs. ${\geq}60years$: 6.6 months, p = 0.0105) and the histological type (adenocarcinoma: 25.6 months vs. others: 7.9 months, p=0.0055). The predominant toxicity was neutropenia, which occurred as WHO grade 3 or 4 in 38.7 % of patients. One treatment-related death was also reported. Non-hematological toxicity was minor and easily controlled. There were no significant statistical differences in the survival benefit and toxicity between the two doses. Conclusion : Docetaxel, as second-line monotherapy, was well tolerated and effective in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who failed first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.757-765
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• 2000

Background : Angiogenesis plays a critical role in human tumor growth and metastasis. Microvessel count as a measure of tumor angiogenesis, has been significantly correlated with invasive and metastatic patterns in breast. prostate and cutaneous carcinomas. Materials and Methods : Fifty patients with curatively resected non-small cell lung cancer were evaluated. Tumor tissues embedded in paraffin block were stained by anti CD 31 (PECAM, platelet endothelial cellular adhesion molecule) using immunohistochemical method to assess microvessel count. Microvessels were counted in the most active areas of neovascularization(microscopy, 200$\times$). Results: 1) Mean microvessel count was 47.1$\pm$17.7(per 200$\times$field) in total 50 cases. 2) Mean microvessel count of adenocarcinoma (54.4$\pm$19.9) was significantly higher than that of squamous cancer (43.9$\pm$16.2) (p<0.05), but there were no relationship between microvessel count and TNM stages. 3) Median survival time, 2-year and 5-year survival rates of the low microvascular group (microvessel count<45, 22 cases) were 61 months, 80% and 40%, respectively, and those of the high microvascular group(microvessel count$\geq$45, 28 cases) were 46 months, 75% and 12%, respectively. As results, prognosis of low microvascular group is statistically significantly superior to that of the high microvascular group (p=0.0162, Kaplan-Meier, log-rank). Conclusion : Angiogenesis assessed by microvessel count can be used as one of the significant prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.607-612
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• 2007

Background: Surgical resection is a standard treatment for pulmonary metastases in patients with osteosarcoma, but the role of performing repeated resections is not clear. This study was designed to clarify the feasibility of performing a repeated pulmonary metastasectomy and the prognostic factors for pulmonary metastases in patients with osteosarcoma. Material and Method: Between January 1990 and July 2005, 62 patients with osteosarcoma were diagnosed with pulmonary metastases and 36 patients underwent pulmonary resection. We reviewed the patients retrospectively. Result: The total number of pulmonary metastasectomies was 62 in 30 patients. Among 36 patients, 18 had a second metastasectomy, 7 had a third metastasectomy, and one patient had a fourth metastasectomy. There was no distinctive difference between the first and second metastatectomy in terms of median survival time, and the 3-year and 5-year survival rate (first resection: 20.5 months, 32.0% and 29,4%; second resection: 11.3 months, 34.9% and 34.%). However, the median survival time (7.1 months) was shorter in patients with a third metastatectomy than in patients with one metastatectomy (p=0.01). In long-term survivors, the number of female patients, patients with a disease free time longer than 12 months, patients with a single metastasis and patients with anatomic resection was larger when compared to non-long term survivors, but showed no statistical significance. Conclusion: Repeated pulmonary metastasectomy is expected to prolong survival time in patients with osteosarcoma, and is expected to increase long-term survival in selected cases. Further studies with a large number of patients are necessary.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.193-204
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• 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
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.243-247
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• 2006

$\underline{Purpose}$: To evaluate the treatment results and prognostic factors of palliative radiation therapy in the patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer. $\underline{Materials\;&\;Methods$: Thirty-seven evaluable patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer who were treated by palliative radiation therapy for pain relief at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Kangnam St. Mary's hospital, the Catholic University of Korea between March 1984 and February 2005 were analysed retrospectively. There were 22 men and 15 women. Age at diagnosis ranged from 30 to 80 (median 57) years. Twelve patients (32.4%) had liver metastases and 22 patients (59.5%) had lymph node metastases. Radiation therapy was delivered to primary tumor and regional lymph nodes with $1{\sim}2\;cm$ margin, and total dose was $3,240{\sim}5,580\;cGy$ (median 5,040 cGy). Chemotherapy with radiotherapy was delivered in 30 patients (81%) with 5-FU alone (21 patients) or gemcitabine (9 patients). The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 44 months. Survival and prognostic factors were analysed using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test respectively. $\underline{Results}$: Overall mean and median survival were 11 and 8 months and 1-year survival rate was 20%. Among 33 patients who were amenable for response evaluation, 7 patients had good response and 22 patients had fair response with overall response rate of 87.9%. Mild to moderate toxicity were observed in 14 patients with nausea, vomiting, and indigestion, but severe toxicity requiring interruption of treatment were not observed. Chemotherapy didn't influence the survival and symptomatic palliation, but the group containing gemcitabine showed a tendency of longer survival (median 12 months) than 5-FU alone group (median 5.5 months) without statistical significance (p>0.05). The significant prognostic factors were Karnofsky performance status and liver metastasis (p<0.05). Age, sex, tumor location, lymph node metastasis, and CA 19-9 level did not show any prognostic significance (p>0.05). $\underline{Conclusion}$: Radiation therapy was effective for symptomatic palliation in the patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer and would play an important part in the survival benefit with gemcitabine or other targeted agents.