• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2003

Purpose: To evaluate the results of radiation management on recurrence, survival and prognostic factors of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer Materials and Methods: Forty-nine patients, treated for nasopharyngeal cancer by radiotherapy between January 1984 and June 2000, were retrospectively studied. All patients were followed up for at least 2.5 years. Their median age was 52 years (range 17$\~$78). The histological types were 21 squamous cell carcinoma, 25 undifferentiated carcinoma, and 3 adenoid cystic carcinoma. The tumor stages were as follows: T1 in 14 patients, T2 in 24, T3 in 3, and T4 in 8, and N0 in 17 patients, Nl in 15, N2 in 4 and N3 in 13. Stages I, IIa, IIb ,III, IV and IVb were 4, 7, 12, 5, 8, and 13 patients respectively. Radiation doses of 58$\~$70 Gy (median 68.7 Gy) were given to the nasopahryngeal and involved lymphatic areas and of 46 $\~$ 50 Gy to the uninvolved neck areas. Results: The overall 5 and 10-year actuarial and disease free survival rates were 54.53$\%$ and 47$\%$ and 55.7$\%$ and 45.3$\%$, respectively The overall five-year survival rates were 100$\%$ in stage I , 80$\%$ in stage IIa, 59.5$\%$ in stage IIIb, 40$\%$ in stage III, and 42.2$\%$ in stage IV tumors. Twenty-three patients fatted either loco-regionally or distantly. Incidences of local failure, regional failure and distant metastasis for the first failure were 20.4$\%$, 8.2$\%$ and 20.4$\%$, respectively. Local recurrences were 4.3$\%$ in T1, 12.5$\%$ in T2, 0$\%$ in T3, and 62.5$\%$ in T4 lesions. Distant metastasis was seen in 41.2$\%$ of N2-3 lesions. Fifty percent of local recurrence appeared within 2 years of treatment at the primary lesion, whereas 70$\%$ of distant metastasis appeared within 2 years following treatment. Young age, female, early T stage, N0 stage; and poorly differentiated carcinoma were all related with good survival. However only stage showed statistically significance. Conclusionn: Based on the results of this study, radiation therapy to nasopharyngeal cancer showed high local recurrence in T4 and increased metastasis in N2-3 lesions. To improve local failure, further radiation doses, such as stereotactic radiation or IMRT radiation, are necessary especially in T4 lesions. The high incidence of distant metastasis in positive lymph node patients, indicates that combined radiation and effective chemotherapeutic agents with appropriated schedule are necessary.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.2 s.271
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• pp.103-108
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• 2007

Background: Surgical resection is an important modality in the treatment of pulmonary metastases from various solid tumors. We analyzed 37 patients who underwent surgical treatments of pulmonary metastases in our hospital from 1996 to 2005. Material and Method: Age, sex, disease free interval, operative procedure, the number of pulmonary metastases, and lymphatic metastasis were investigated with admission and operative records, and pathologic reports. Actuarial survival and comparisons between each survival rate were calculated according to Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, respectively, Result: Complete resections were carried out in 34 of 37 patients. The primary tumor was carcinoma in 25 cases, sarcoma in 10, and others in 2. The number of pulmonary metastases was 1 in 25 cases and 2 or more in 12 cases. 3-year and 5-year survival rates after complete resection were 50.5% and 35.9%, respectively. 3-year and 5-year survival rates for carcinoma were 64.5% and 45.0%, respectively, and 3-year survival rate for sarcoma was 17.5%. Otherwise, none of the operative procedures, the number of pulmonary metastases, lymphatic metastasis, adjunctive therapy and the disease free interval in the case of carcinoma significantly affected the survival rates. Conclusion: Complete resection of pulmonary metastasis in well selected patients allows high long term survival rate with low mortality and morbidity. Long-term follow up and randomized prospective studies were necessary to determine the prognostic factors of pulmonary metastases after surgical resection.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 1999

Propose : This study was performed to find out the prognostic factors affecting local control, survival and disease free survival rate in nasopharyngeal carcinomas treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Materials and Methods : We analysed 47 patients of nasopharyngeal carcinomas, histologically confirmed and treated at Chonnam University Hospital between July 1986 and June 1996, retrospectively. Range of patients' age were from 16 to 80 years (median; 52 years). Thirty three (70$\%$) patients was male. Histological types were composed of 3 (6$\%$) keratinizing, 30 (64$\%$) nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinoma and 13 (28$\%$) undifferentiated carcinoma. Histoiogicai type was not known in 1 patient (2$\%$). We restaged according to the staging system of 1997 American Joint Committee on Cancer Forty seven patients were recorded as follows: 71: 11 (23$\%$), T2a; 6 (13$\%$), T2b; 9 (19$\%$), 73; 7 (15$\%$), 74: 14 (30$\%$), and NO; 7 (15$\%$), Nl: 14 (30$\%$), N2; 21 (45%), N3: 5 (10%). Clinical staging was grouped as follows: Stage 1; 2 (4$\%$), IIA: 2 (4$\%$), IIB; 10 (21$\%$), III; 14 (30$\%$), IVA; 14 (30$\%$) and IVB; 5 (11$\%$). Radiation therapy was done using 6 MV and 10 MV X- ray of linear accelerator. Electron beam was used for the Iymph nodes of posterior neck after 4500 cGy. The range of total radiation dose delivered to the primary tumor was from 6120 to 7920 cGy (median; 7020 cGy). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was performed with cisplatin +5-fluorouracil (25 patients) or cisplatin+pepleomycin (17 patients) with one to three cycles. Five patients did not received chemotherapy. Local control rate, survival and disease free suwival rate were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. Generalized Wilcoxon test was used to evaluate the difference of survival rates between groups. multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard model was done for finding prognostic factors. Results: Local control rate was 81$\%$ in 5 year. Five year survival rate was 60$\%$ (median survival; 100 months). We included age, sex, cranial nerve deflicit, histologic type, stage group, chemotherapy, elapsed days between chemotherapy and radiotherapy, total radiation dose, period of radiotherapy as potential prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. As a result, cranial none deficit (P=0.004) had statistical significance in local control rate. Stage group and total radiation dose were significant prognostic factors in survival (P=0.000, P=0.012), and in disease free survival rates (P=0.003, P=0.008), respectively. Common complications were xerostomia, tooth and ear problems. Hypothyroidism was developed in 2 patients. Conclusion : In our study, cranial none deficit was a significant prognostic factor in local control rate, and stage group and total radiation dose were significant factors in both survival and disease free survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We have concluded that chemotherapy and radiotherapy used in our patients were effective without any serious complication.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 1999

Purpose : Serum squamous cell (SCC) antigen levels were examined in uterine cervix cancer undergoing radiation therapy, and authors analyzed the relationship between SCC antigen levels and treatment results. Materials and Methods :This is a retrospective study of 181 conical carcinoma patients who received radiotherapy and examined serial serum SCC antigen from 1991 to 1997 at Soonchunhyang University Hospital. One hundred and eighteen patients underwent SCC antigen evaluation at diagnosis The relationship between the serum tumor marker level and disease free survival, recurrence pattern, and other prognostic factors were analyzed according to various statistical methods. Results : The Positivity rate (initial serum value above 2.5 ng/ml) was increased with FIGO stage (IB-IIA 57% to IV 91%) and more discriminative than cutoff value of 1.5 ng/ml. Five year disease free survival rates for the stage IB-IIA, IIB, III and IV were 79.2%, 68.7%, 33.4% and 0%, respectively. The 5-year disease free survival rate for patients with serum SCC antigen levels above 5.0 ng/ml was 34% versus 55~62% for patients with normal range (>1.5 ng/ml) or mildly elevated levels (1.5~5.0 ng/ml). Rising SCC antigen levels preceded the clinical detection of disease by a mean of 4.8 months (range 1 ~13 months). Negative linear correlation was observed between initial SCC antigen levels and relapse free survival (r=-0.226), and by multivariate analysis, initial SCC antigen level had a large impact on the relapse free survival. Conclusion : SCC antigen assay is a useful aid to predict the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix and to detect recurrence.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.305-313
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• 1997

Purpose : This is a retrospective study to evaluate the results of radiation therapy and prognostic factors influencing the results in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Materials and Methods: From October 1989 to May 1996. 56 Patients were treated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma at Department of Radiation On-cology. According to stage, patients were distributed as follows : stage I (2), II (13). II (11), IV (30). Twenty-eight patients were treated with radiation therapy only, 7 patients were treated with neoadiuvant chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy. Twenty-one Patients were treated with radiation therapy and weekly CDDP. After external beam radiotherapy of 60Gy, 46Patients received boost dose with intracavitary radiation and 9 Patients with 3D conformal therapy. One patient received boost dose with 2 dimensional Photon beam therapy. The tumor dose ranged from 69.4Gy to 86.2Gy with median dose of 74.4Gy. The follow-up Period ranged from 5 months to 92 months with a median of 34 months. Results : Forty-seven patients achieved complete response and 8 Patients showed partial response. One Patient showed minimal response. Patterns of failure were as follows : locoregional recurrence (8) and distant metastasis (18). Among these patients, 2 patients failed locoregionally and distantly. The sites of distant metastasis were bone (8), lung (8) and liver (4). Five years survival rate was $67.2\%$ and 5 years disease-free survival rate was $53.6\%$. KPS (P=0.005) and response ol radiation therapy (P=0.0001) were significant prognostic factors for overall survival. KPS (P= 0.02) and response of radiation therapy (P=0.005) were significant Prognostic factors for disease-free survival. Conclusion : This retrospective study showed that distant metastasis was the Predominant pattern of relapse in nasopharyngeal cancer Neoadiuvant chemotherapy or weekly CDOP did not influence the distant metastasis-free survival. For advanced T stage, 3D conformal therapy Provided an improved dose coverage compared to ICR But further follow-up was needed in Patients with 3D conformal therapy to assess the efficacy of this therapy. Development of techniques of radiation therapy to improve locoregional control and of more effective systemic chemotherapy regimen are needed.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.197-203
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• 1989

Of 34 evaluated patients with primary spinal cord tumors, 32 were irradiated at our institution between 1969 and 1983. The results are reported of 32 patients, 16 with ependymoma and 16 with astrocytoma, who were treated with post-operative external beam radiotherapy following biopsy or subtotal resection Twenty-nine patients received $45\~55Gy$ megavoltage beam irradiation in $5\~6$ weeks and the remaining three patients received less than 40Gy. Spinal cord was in the irradiated field for six patients who received more than 50Gy. The minimum follow-up was five years. Five and ten year acturaial survival rates for entire group of patients were $73\%(22/30)\;and\;50\%(8/16)$, including three patients who were salvaged by surgery after radiation failures. Corresponding five and ten year relapse free survival rates were $60\%(18/30)\;and\;32\%(6/19)$, respectively. Of the 29 patients who recived more than 45Gy, relapse free survival at five years was $63\%(17/27)$. Treatment failed in 13 patients and all of those failures were in the irradiated portal. Patients with ependymomas have significantly better relapse free survival than those with astrocytomas, $80\%\;vs.\;40\%$ (p<0.05). There was significant difference in survival between patients with tumors involving the cervical spine and those with tumors in the other loactions, $45\%$ vs. $89\%(p<0.05)$. There was no significant differnece in survival between patients with cauda equina tumors and those with tumors at spinal cord, $100\%\;vs.\;68\%(p>0.05)$. No radiotherapy related neurological deficit was noted with a maximum 20 year follow-up. This study confirms that external beam radiotherapy is a safe and effective treatment modality for primary spinal cord tumors.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 1990

This paper is a review of our experience with radical resection for cancer of the oral cavity with particular emphasis upon the value of myocutaneous(i.e., musculocutanous) flaps employed in the surgical reconstruction in patient survival. During the past 15 years, 98 patients underwent resection of cancer arising in the oral cavity and oropharynx. Of these, 14 had composite resections in which the mandible was not sectioned, and 4 underwent en bloc resections without neck dissections in the face of post-radiation recurrence. When these excluded, 84 patients who underwent COMMANDO procedures with or without myocutaneous flaps were suitable for analysis of recurrence and survival according to the various surgical technics employed. 1) According to the surgical technic, there were 24 standard COMMANDO procedures in whom no regional or myocutanous flap was used; 12 patients who underwent reconstruction employing a forehead flap; 19 patients in whom a posterior cervical 'nape' flap was employed; 27 patients who underwent myocutaneous or osteo-myocutaneous flap repair; and two patients who had double flap repair. 2) The uncorrected two-year disease free survival was 41% for standard COMMANDOs, 17% for forehead flap COMMANDOs; 35% for nape flap COMMANDOs; and 35% for myocutaneous flap COMMANDO procedures. 3) The two-year disease-free survival by Stage was 100% in Stage I, 45% in Stage II, 41% in Stage III, and 18% in Stage IV. 4) When myocutanous flaps cases were compared with Group I, comprised of matched historical controls including both Standard COMMANDOs and those who had undergone regional flap repairs(that is, forehead and nape flap COMMANDOs)there was no difference, both groups showing a 40% 2-year disease-free survival. 5) When musculocutanous flap cases were compared with Goup II, which was composed of matched historical controis limited to patients who had undergone regional flap repairs(that is, forehead and nape flap cases only)there was no difference, both groups showing a 27% 2-year desease-free survival. 6) When musculocutanous flap cases were compared with Group III, composed of patients who had undergone classic COMMANDO procedures without any sort of flap repair, there was a striking difference; the patients undergoing MC flap repair showed 50% 2-year disease-free survival, whereas the classic COMMANDO cases showed a 25% survival free of disease. 7) Locoregional recurrence was also evaluated in the four categories; for standard COMMANDO cases it was 25%, for nape flap cases 26% ; for forehead flap cases, 33%, and for the musculocutaneous flap cases, the lowest recurrence rate, 22%. These results are of particular significance in view of the fact that the proportion of advanced cases(Stage III and IV)in each category was 67% of standard cases, 79% of nape flap patients, 100% of forehead flap cases, and 96% of musculocutaneous flap cases.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 1998

Purpose : This study was to evaluate survival, failure patterns, and prognostic factors of stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx after curative radiation therapy. Materials and Methods : A retrospective analysis was done for 57 patients with glottic cancer who were treated with curative radiation therapy from June 1985 to November 1992. There were 55 male and two female patients. Patients' age ranged from 17 to 71 years(median 39 years). Radiation therapy was delivered five times a week, 2 Gy daily, total 66 Gy using 6 MV X-ray. Results : Complete response(CR) was noted in 51 out of 57 patients (89.5%) and persistent disease (PER) in six out of 57 patients(10.5%). The disease-free survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 72.9% and 63.8%, respectively. Seven failures were observed among 51 CR patients during follow-up. Salvage total laryngectomy for six recurred patients and partial laryngectomy for one recurred patient were done with successful results, i.e., all of them were actually salvaged. Among six PER patients, salvage total laryngectomy for two patients and partial laryngectomy for two patients were done and two patients refused operation. Following salvage surgery for the four PER patients, three were salvaged and one failed locoregionally. Among the 13 failures 10(76.9%) were salvaged with surgery. The ultimate local control rate at 5 years was 92.3% and overall 47 out of 57 (82.5%) patients were able to preserve their larynx. The 5-year disease-free survival rates were 85.5% for posterior lesions, and 61.6% for anterior lesions(P<0.05). Cord mobility, involvement of anterior commissure, field size, and T stage did not impact on disease-free survival. Conclusion : Considering the high percentage of voice preservation with initial radiotherapy, radiotherapy should be the first choice in the treatment of stage 1 glottic carcinoma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.312-318
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• 2001

Purpose : To assess the locoregional recurrence rate, survival rate and prognostic factors after modified radical mastectomy and postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy with or with chemotherapy in high-risk breast cancer patients. Methods : Between $1984\~1995$, 48 patients underwent postoperative irradiation to the regional lymphatics and chest wall due to large tumor size $(\geq5\;cm)$ or small tumor size (<5 cm) with axillary lymph node involvement after modified radical mastectomy. The median age of the patients was 47 years (range, $31\~79\;years$). The clinical tumor size was <2 cm in 1 patient, $2\~5\;cm$ in 15 patients, and >5 cm in 32 patients. Thirty two patients had positive axillary lymph nodes. Forty two patients were irradiated to the chest wall and regional lymph node and 6 patients were irradiated in the chest wall only. Radiation dose to the chest wall and regional lymph node was 5040 cGy/28 fraction. The median follow-up time was 61 months. Results : Locoregional recurrence rate was $8\%$ and distant metastatic rate was $14\%$. The actuarial overall survival rate and disease-free survival rate was $53\%\;and\;62\%$ at 5 years, respectively. The median survival time was 57 months. Five-year overall survival rate by the stage is $70\%$ in IIB and $58\%$ in IIA. The significant prognostic factor for survival on multivariate analysis was the stage. Conclusion : Postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy in high-risk breast cancer can reduce the locoregional recurrence rate and increase the survival time by combined chemotherapy. The significant prognostic factor for survival rate was the stage.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.126-132
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• 2009

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate the prognostic factors for the pathologic N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who were treated by postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 112 pN2 NSCLC patients who underwent surgery and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) From January 1999 to February 2008. Seventy-five (67%) patients received segmentectomy or lobectomy and 37 (33%) patients received pneumonectomy. The resection margin was negative in 94 patients, and it was positive or close in 18 patients. Chemotherapy was administered to 103 (92%) patients. Nine (8%) patients received PORT alone. The median radiation dose was 54 Gy (range, 45 to 66), and the fraction size was 1.8~2 Gy. Results: The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 60.2% and the disease free survival (DFS) rate was 44.7% for all the patients. Univariate analysis showed that the patients with multiple-station N2 disease had significantly reduced OS and DFS (p=0.047, p=0.007) and the patients with an advanced T stage ($\geq$T3) had significantly reduced OS and DFS (p<0.001, p=0.025). A large tumor size ($\geq$5 cm) and positive lymphovascular invasion reduced the OS (p=0.035, 0.034). Using multivariate analysis, we found that multiple-station N2 disease and an advanced T stage ($\geq$T3) significantly reduced the OS and DFS. Seventy one patients (63.4%) had recurrence of disease. The patterns of failure were loco-regional in 23 (20.5%) patients, distant failure in 62 (55.4%) and combined loco-regional and distant failure in 14 (12.5%) patients. Conclusion: Multiple involvement of mediastinal nodal stations for the pN2 NSCLC patients with PORT was a poor prognostic factor in this study. A prospective study is necessary to evaluate the N2 subclassification and to optimize the adjuvant treatment.