• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2005

Purpose: The debate is still on-going as to whether a transthoracic esophagectomy (TTE) or a transhiatal esophagectomy(THE) is the proper treatment for patients with cardia and esophageal cancers. This study tries to demonstrate and assess the efficacy and the validity of both surgeries. Materials and Methods: In a retrospective study, data from 52 cases of patients with esophageal and/or cardia cancer who received a surgical operation during the last decade were analyzed. Results: A TTE was done in 20 cases and a THE in 32 cases. The average times for the operations were 558.0 min for a TTE and 451.7 min for a THE (P>0.05). The estimated blood loss was 1,825.0 ml in a TTE and 1459.4 ml in a THE (P>0.05). The amounts of transfusion during the operations were 3.9 units in a TTE and 2.6 units in a THE (P<0.05). Post-operative complications occurred in 15 cases of TTE and 23 cases of THE. The average length of stay in the hospital was 25.6 days for a TTE and 20.6 days for a THE. The 5-year survival rate was $10\%$ for TTE patients and $28\%$ for THE patients (P>0.05). Conclusion: For most factors, including morbidity and mortality, there was no statistically significant difference between a TTE and a THE. However, a THE is expected to be more convenient, leading to a shorter operative duration, a shorter post-operative hospitalization and lesser amounts of hemorrhage and transfusion. Hence, the THE may be a more valid or efficient surgical method for those patients with cardia and esophagus cancer who require a resection of the esophagus. (J Korean Gastric Cancer Assoc 2005;5:1-9)

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.573-579
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• 2008

Background: Composite valve graft replacement is currently the treatment of choice for a wide variety of the lesions of aortic root disease. The purpose of this study was to explore the results of aortic root replacement after using the Cabrol technique over a 13-year period at our institution, and we analyzed the results to help surgeons make better decisions when repairing aortic root disease. Material and Method: Between January 1994 and December 2006, twenty-five patients underwent a Cabrol technique operation at our institution. The mean patient age was $43.7{\pm}14.1$ years old (range: $6{\sim}65$ years) and the male and female ratio was 21:4 (84% : 16%). The patients' follow-up was 100% complete, and the mean follow-up period was $60.7{\pm}50.4$ (range:$1{\sim}162$) months. Annuloaortic ectasia (n=18) was the most frequent cause of aortic disease in this series, followed by aortic dissection (n=7). The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was $177.2{\pm}44.9$ minutes and the mean aortic cross clamping time was $123.4{\pm}34.1$ minutes. Nine patients were checked with MDCT (Multidetector computed tomography) for evaluating a well functioning secondary graft and the coronary anastomosis site. Result: The early mortality rate was 4% (1 of 25 patients). A significant stenosis, kinking or occlusion of the secondary graft was detected by MDCT in 4 patients. The overall survival rate was 88%. Conclusion: The Cabrol technique demonstrated a significant incidence of long-term complications such as secondary graft stenosis or obstruction. It could be used when the modified Bentall technique is not feasible.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.79-82
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• 1993

From October 1989 to March 1992, ten patients diagnosed as primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma were treated with radiation therapy at Asan Medical Center. To obtain pathologic diagnosis, five patients had stereotactic biopsy and the others underwent craniotomy & tumor removal. According to the classification by International Working Formulation, seven of 10 patients showed diffuse large cell types and the remaining 3 had diffuse mixed cell types. Computed tomographic scans of the brain disclosed solitary (6 cases) or multiple (4 cases) intracranial lesions. All patients received 4000 cGy/20 fx to the whole brain followed by an additional 2000 cGy/10 fx boost to the primary lesion. Six patients with initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF involvement were treated with whole brain irradiation and intrathecal Methotrexate (IT-MTX) chemotherapy. One of them received an additional spinal irradiation after 3 cycles of IT-MTX chemotherapy because of MTX induced arachnoiditis. One patient received 3 cycles of systemic chemotherapy prior to rodiation therapy and one received 5 cycles of salvage chemotherapy for recurrence. With a median follow up time of 8 months, all patients were followed from 7 to 26 months. Radiologically seven patients showed complete remission and the remaining three showed partial remission at one month after radiotherapy. The 1 and 2 year survival rate was $86{\%}\;and\;69{\%}$ respectively. Until now, two patients expired at 7 and 14 months. These patients developed extensive CSF seeding followed by local failure. Considering initial good response to radiation therapy and low incidence of extraneural dissemination in primary CNS lymphoma, we propose to increase total tumor dose to the primary lesion by hyperfractionated radiotherapy or stereotactic radiosurgery. For the patients with CSF involvement at diagnosis, we propose craniospinal irradiation with IT MTX chemotherapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.57-63
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• 2010

Purpose: We performed an immunohistochemical study with pre-treatment biopsy specimens to evaluate the prognostic significance of four biomolecular markers which can be used as a predictive assay for radiotherapy (RT) treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Materials and Methods: From January 1998 through December 2006, 68 patients were histologically diagnosed as non-metastatic NPC and treated by RT. Only 38 patients had the paraffin block for the immunohistochemical study. Thirty-one patients had undifferentiated carcinoma and 7 patients had squamous cell carcinoma. Thirtytwo patients (84%) had advanced stage NPC (2002 AJCC Stage III~IV). Immunohistochemical staining was performed for Met, COX-2, nm23-H1, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression using routine methods. Results: The median follow-up time was 30 months (range, 11 to 83 months) for all patients, and 39 months (range, 19 to 83 months) for surviving patients. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of the patients with high Met extent (${\geq}50%$) was significantly lower than that of the patients with low Met extent (48% vs. 84%, p=0.02). In addition, Met extent was also a significant prognostic factor in multivariate analysis (p=0.01). No correlation was observed between Met extent and T stage, N stage, stage group, gender, age, and the response to chemotherapy or RT. Met extent showed moderate correlation with COX-2 expression (Pearson coefficient 0.496, p<0.01), but COX-2 expression did not affect OS. Neither nm23-H1 or EGFR expression was a prognostic factor for OS in this study. Conclusion: High Met extent (${\geq}50%$) might be an independent prognostic factor that predicts poor OS in NPC treated with RT.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2005

Purpose : To prospectively evaluate the use of positron emission tomography with the glucose analog fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) to deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) to predict disease-free survival (DFS) after concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with non-disseminated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Materials and Methods : We studied 41 patients with non-disseminated NPC scheduled to undergo platinum-based CCRT were eligible for this study. Patients were studied by FDG-PET prior to the CCRT. FDG uptake of tumors were measured with the maximal standardized uptake value (SUV). Results : Complete response rate was $100\%$. In ten patients who presented with any component of treatment failure, the median $SUV_{max}$ was 8.55 (range: $2.49\~14.81$) in any component of failure and the median $SUV_{max}$ was 5.48 (range: $2.31\~26.07$) In the remaining patients without any such failure. Patients having tumors with high FDG uptake had a significantly lower 3-year DFS ($51\%\;{\nu}91\%$, p=0.0070) compared with patients having low uptake tumors. Conclusion : FDG uptake, as measured by the SUV, has potential value in predicting DFS in NPC treated by CCRT, High FDG uptake may be a useful parameter for Identifying patients requiring more aggressive treatment approaches.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2002

Purpose : This study evaluated the treatment outcomes, patterns of failure, and treatment related complications of primary lymphoma patients who received definitive radiation therapy. Materials and Methods : A retrospective analysis was undertaken for 31 patients with primary orbital lymphoma at the Asan Medical Center between February 1991 and April 2001. There were 18 males and 13 females with ages ranging from 3 to 73 years (median, 44 years). The involved sites were 9 conjunctivae, 12 eyelids and 10 other orbits. The histological types were 28 MALT lymphomas (low-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type), 1 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 1 anaplastic large cell lymphoma and 1 lymphoblastic lymphoma. The Ann Arbor stages were all IE $(100\%)$. Ann Arbor stage III or IV patients were excluded from this study, Bilateral orbital involvement occurred in 6 cases. Radiation therapy was given with one anterior port of high energy electrons $(6\~16\;MeV)$ for the lesions located at the anterior structures like the conjunctivae or eyelids. Lesions with a posterior extension or other orbital lesions were treated with 4 or 6 MeV photons with appropriately arranged portals. In particular, lens blocks composed of lead alloy were used in conjunctival or eyelid lesions. Twelve patients received chemotherapy. The median follow-up period was 53 months. Results : The 5-year overall, cause-specific, and disease-free survival was $91\%,\;96\%,\;and\;80\%$, respectively. The complete response rate 6 months after radiation therapy was $100\%$. Local recurrences were observed in 2 patients at 16 and 18 months after completion of radiation treatment. They were salvaged with additional radiation therapy. Two patients developed distant metastases. A MALT lymphoma patient with a lung relapse was successfully salvaged with radiotherapy, but the other lymphoblastic lymphoma patient with bone marrow relapse expired. There were no severe complications but 5 patients developed radiation-induced cataracts and 2 patients developed dry eye. Conclusion : Most primary orbital lymphomas consisted of MALT lymphomas. Radiation therapy was a successful treatment modality for orbital lymphoma without any severe complications. In cases of local relapses, radiation therapy is also a very successful salvage treatment modality.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.143-155
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• 2002

A survey on biliary atresia was made among 26 members of the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons. The members were required to complete a questionnaire and a case registration form for each patient during the twentyone-year period of 1980-2000. Three hundred and eighty patients were registered from 18 institutions. The average number of patients per surgeon was one to two every year. The male to female ratio was 1:1.3. The age of patients on diagnosis with biliary atresia was on average $65.4{\pm} 36.2$ days old. The national distribution was 32.8% in Seoul, 25.3% in Gyoungki-Do, 21.6% in Gyoungsang-Do, 9.27% in Choongchung-Do, etc. in order. The most common clinical presentation was jaundice (98.4%) and change of stool color (86.2%) was second. Two hundred eighty (74.7%) of 375 patients were operated by 80 days of age. Three hundred thirty six (9 1.9%) of 366 patients were operated on by the original Kasai procedure, and 305 (84.3%) of 362 patients were observed by bile-drainage postoperatively. The overall postoperative complication rate was 18.5% and the overall postoperative mortality rate was 6.8%. The associated anomalies were observed in 72 cases (22.5%). One hundred ninty five (64.7%) of 302 patients have been alive in follow-up and 49 (25.1%) have survived over 5 years without problem after operation. Ascending cholangitis, varices and ascites affected survival significantly, and the important long-term prognostic factor was the occurrence of complications.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 1997

Purpose : Intracranial germinoma is the most radiocurable tumor of theprimary intracranial neoplasm. But, the optimum radiation dose and target volume remain controversial In this retrospective study, we analysed the spreading pattern at presentation and the pattern of the failure and survival of intracranial germinoma, Materials and Methods : From 1989 to 1996, 23 Patients were treated for intracranial germinoma at Department of Radiation Oncology, Twenty-one Patients were treated at their initial Presentation and 2 Patients were treated for recurrent disease. Six patients had multiple tumor masses on MRI and 7patients had ventricular seeding on MRI. The examination of cerebrospinal fluid cytology was done in 15 patients and 3 out of 15 patients had positive cerebrospinal cytology. In tumor marker study of $\alpha-FP\;and\;\beta-hCG$, 6 patients had mildly elevated $\beta-hCG$ in serum or cerebrospinal fluid. Twentyone Patients were treated with whole craniospinal axis irradiation and 2 Patients were given whole ventricular radiation therapy. The total dose was ranged between 4500cGy and 5600cGy to primary tumor site (median 5580cGy) Dose to the entire ventricular system ranged from 1980cGy to 3960 cGy (median 2700cGy) and dose to the spinal axis ranged from 2160cGy to 3900cGy (median 2700cGy) Results : Of 23 patients, 21 Patients are alive without evidence of diseasefor median 4 years follow-up. One Patient who had markedly elevated $\alpha-FP\;and\;\beta-hCG$, suffered from Persistent disease after radiation therapy and received 2 cycles of chemotherapy. She died 9 months after chemotherapy One patient who developed ventricular seeding after gamma-knife was treated with whole craniospinal irradiation, he died after 1 year due to probably brain necrosis. The hematologic toxicity of 3 or 4 grade were seen in 7 patients and patient's endocrinologic dysfunction was not deteriorated after radiation therapy. One patient had been treated with growth hormone replacement due to short stature. Conclusions : This retrospective study has confirmed the excellent result of radiation therapy in intracranial germinoma. The complication rate during or after radiation therapy is considered within acceptable range. ft is necessary to further investigate the optimal dose and treatment volume of radiation therapy. The role of chemotherapy in the treatment of intracranial germinoma should be further investigated.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2005

Purpose : The objective of this study was to determine whether the expressions of the two components of DNA-dependent protein kinase, Ku70 and DNA-PKcs, influence the response to radiotherapy (RT) and outcome of treatment of non-disseminated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in patients who received definitive RT. Materials and Methods : Sixty-six patients with NPC who were treated with radiotherapy alone or with concurrent chemotherapy between June 1995 and December 2001 were divided into groups based on the levels of immunoreactivity for Ku70 and DNA-PKcs in pretreatment biopsy specimens. The over-expression of Ku70 or DNA-PKcs groups Included patients whose biopsy specimens showed at least 50% immunopositive tumor cells; patients in which less than 50% of the tumor cells in the biopsy tissues were immunopositive were placed in the low Ku70 and DNA-PKcs groups. The immunoreactivities for Ku70 and DNA-PKcs were retrospectively compared with the sensitivity of the tumor to radiation and the patterns of therapy failure. Univariate analyses were peformed to determine the prognostic factors that influenced locoregional control of NPC. Results : The five-year locoregional control rate was significantly higher in the low Ku70 group (Ku(-)) (85%) than in the high Ku70 group (Ku(+)) (42%) (p=0.0042). However, there were no differences in the metastases-free survival rates between the two groups (Ku70 (+), 82%; Ku70 (-), 78%; p=0.8672). Univariate analysis indicated that the over-expression of Ku70 surpassed other well-known predictive clinocopathologic parameters as an Independent prognostic factor for locoregionai control. Eighteen of 22 patients who had locoregional recurrences of the tumor displayed an over-expression of Ku70. No significant association was found between the level of DNA-PKcs expression and the clinical outcome. Conclusion : Our data suggest that the level of Ku70 expression can be used as a molecular marker to predict the response to RT and the locoregional control after RT and concurrent chemotherapy in patients with non-disseminated NPC.