• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.7
• /
• pp.3515-3519
• /
• 2016

Background: In Thailand, a national treatment protocol for childhood leukemia and lymphoma (LL) was implemented in 2006. Access to treatment has also improved with the National Health Security system. Since these innovations, survival of childhood LL has not been fully described. Materials and Methods: Trends and survival of children under 15 with childhood cancers diagnosed between 1993 and 2012 were investigated using the hospital-based data from the Khon Kaen Cancer Registry, Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Childhood cancers were classified into 12 diagnostic groups, according to the ICCC based on the histology of the cancer. Survival rates were described by period, depending on the treatment protocol. For leukemias and lymphomas, survival was assessed for 3 periods (1993-99, 2000-5, 2006-12) while for solid tumors it was for 2 periods (before and after 2000). The impacts of sex, age, use of the national protocol, and catchment area on leukemia and lymphoma were evaluated. Overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method while the Cox proportional hazard model was used for multivariate analysis. Trends were calculated using the R program. Results: A total of 2,343 childhood cancer cases were included. Survival for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) from 1993-9, 2000-5, and 2006-12 improved significantly (43.7%, 64.6%, and 69.9%). This was to a lesser extent true for acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) (28.1%, 42.0%, and 42.2%). Survival of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) also improved significantly (44%, 65.5%, and 86.8%) but not for Hodgkin disease (HD) (30.1%, 66.1%, and 70.6%). According to multivariate analysis, significant risk factors associated with poor survival in the ALL group were age under 1 and over 10 years, while not using the national protocol had hazard ratios (HR) of 1.6, 1.3, and 2.3 respectively. In NHL, only non-use of national protocols was a risk factor (HR 3.9). In ANLL and HD, none of the factors influenced survival. Survival of solid tumors (liver tumors, retinoblastomas) were significantly increased compared to after and before 2000 while survival for CNS tumors, neuroblastoma and bone tumors was not changed. Conclusions: The survival of childhood cancer in Thailand has markedly improved. Since implementation of national protocols, this is particularly the case for ALL and NHL. These results may be generalizable for the whole country.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.399-404
• /
• 2013

Objective : The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study to determine prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of brain metastases (BM) from breast cancer (BC) after Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKS). Methods : Pathologic and clinical features, and outcomes were analyzed in a cohort of 62 patients with BM from BC treated by GKS. The Kaplan- Meier method, the log-rank test, and Cox's proportional hazards model were used to assess prognostic factors. Results : Median survival after GKS was 73.0 weeks (95% confidence interval, 46.0-100.1). HER2+ [hazard ratio (HR) 0.441; p=0.045], Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) ${\geq}70$ (RR 0.416; p=0.050) and systemic chemotherapy after GKS (RR 0.282; p=0.001) were found to be a favorable prognostic factor of overall survival. Actuarial local control (LC) rate were $89.5{\pm}4.5%$ and $70.5{\pm}6.9%$ at 6 and 12 months after GKS, respectively. No prognostic factors were found to affect LC rate. Uni- and multivariate analysis revealed that the distant control (DC) rate was higher in patients with; a small number (${\leq}3$) of metastasis (HR 0.300; p=0.045), no known extracranial metastasis (p=0.013, log-rank test), or the HER2+ subtype (HR 0.267; p=0.027). Additional whole brain radiation therapy and metastasis volume were not found to be significantly associated with LC, DC, or overall survival. Conclusion : The treatment outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed BM from BC treated with GKS could be affected primarily by intrinsic subtype, KPS, and systemic chemotherapy. Therapeutic strategy and prognosis scoring system should be individualized based on considerations of intrinsic subtype in addition to traditionally known parameters related to stereotactic radiosurgery.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.44 no.12
• /
• pp.1763-1770
• /
• 2015

The effects of root of Taraxacum coreanum Nakai (TC), on the suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in ICR mice were studied. LPS (10 mg/kg body weight) was injected into ICR mice in between two consecutive oral administrations. Hot water extract of fresh TC (HWETC) was administered to mice immediately before and 24 h after LPS injection. The animal groups used in this study were as follows: NOR group (PBS injection, DW administration), CON group (LPS injection, DW administration), and TC group (LPS injection, 1.4 g/kg bw of HWETC administration). Mice in the CON group lost weight due to inflammation induced by LPS, while the body weight of the TC group mice increased significantly, indicating that inflammation was inhibited by HWETC administration. Compare with the CON group, plasma and hepatic triglyceride, reactive oxygen species, peroxynitrite, and hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances concentrations of the TC group decreased significantly (P<0.05). The protein expression of a pro-inflammatory transcription factor, nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$) and its target enzyme, cyclooxygenase 2, increased in response to LPS injection, but was suppressed by HWETC administration (P<0.05). In conclusion, HWETC appears to ameliorate the oxidative stress and inflammatory responses induced by LPS via inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.111-119
• /
• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to examine the effects of a mixture of pinecone oil, garlic, and brown seaweed extracts (PGBE) on milk production traits as well as physiological and ethological parameters in Holstein cows during the summer season (24 May to 03 July 2015, Korea). Methods: Among the extract combinations tested, we found that the level of 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylberzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) cation radical scavenging activity of the 0.16% PBGE complex at ratio of 1:1:1 (vol/vol) was comparable to that of the control (ascorbic acid; 1 mg/mL). Additionally, the PBGE complex reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced COX-2 expression in bovine mammary epithelial cells. Based on these findings, 40 lactating Holstein cows were used to measure the effects of PBGE complex at ratio of 1:1:1 (vol/vol) on milk production, immune response, metabolites, and behavior patterns by dividing the cows into two groups fed diets containing PGBE complex (n = 20; 0.016%/kg feed dry matter basis) or not containing PGBE complex (control, n = 20) for 40 d. Results: Results showed that PGBE complex did not influence milk composition, eating and ear surface temperature patterns, immune response, or metabolic parameters but promoted average milk yield throughout the experimental period. Additionally, a tendency of higher total antioxidant capacity and glutathione in the PGBE group was observed compared to the those in the control. When the temperature-humidity index (THI) exceeded 72 (average THI = 73.8), PGBE complex-fed cows experiencing heat stress showed increased milk yield and a tendency of increased rumination compared to the control. Conclusion: We suggest that incorporation of a combined mixture of 0.016% PGBE (1:1:1 ratio, vol/vol) to diet has the potential to improve milk yield and health status of cows under mild to moderate heat stress, denoting that it might be useful as an alternative anti-stressor in the diet of dairy cows under hot conditions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.24
• /
• pp.10729-10733
• /
• 2015

Background: Adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a treatment option for prostate cancer (PC) patients after radical prostatectomy (RP). Although it can achieve a good progression-free survival rate, some patients still develop clinical metastasis. We here investigated risk factors of clinical metastasis in post-prostatectomy patients who received immediate adjuvant ADT. Materials and Methods: We identified 197 patients with non-metastatic PC who underwent RP at our institution between 2000 and 2012, followed by adjuvant ADT. The associations of various clinicopathologic factors with clinical metastasis (primary endpoint) and cancer-specific survival (secondary endpoint) were assessed. Multivariate analysis was conducted using a Cox proportional hazards model. Median follow-up was 87 months after RP. Results: Nine (4.6%) patients developed clinical metastasis and six (3.0%) died from PC. Eight of nine metastatic patients had a pathologic Gleason score (GS) 9 and developed bone metastasis, while the remaining one had pathologic GS 7 and developed metastasis only to para-aortic lymph nodes. On multivariate analyses, pathologic GS ${\geq}9$ and regional lymph node metastasis (pN1) were independent predictors of clinical metastasis and pathologic GS ${\geq}9$ was an independent predictor of cancer-specific death. Conclusions: Pathologic GS ${\geq}9$ and pN1 were independent predictors of clinical metastasis in post-prostatectomy patients who received immediate adjuvant ADT. Furthermore, pathologic GS ${\geq}9$ was an indispensable condition for bone metastasis, which may imply that patients with GS ${\leq}8$ on adjuvant ADT are unlikely to develop bone metastasis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.24
• /
• pp.10967-10970
• /
• 2015

Objective: To analyze the efficacy and survival associated factors of gefitinib combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 57 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who received platinum-based chemotherapy regimens for more than 1 cycle, were treated with gefitinib combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine until disease progression. Efficacy, survival time and adverse reactions were observed. The Kaplan-Meier method was adopted for analysis of survival and Cox regression for associated influencing factors. Results: The patients were followed up until October 31, 2013, and the median follow-up time was 19 months. Of 57 patients, there were 4 (7.0%) with complete remission (CR), 8 (14.0%) with partial remission, 31 (54.4%) with stable disease, and 14 (24.6%) with disease progression. The remission rate was 21.1% and the disease control rate was 75.4%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) time and the median overall survival time were 10 months and 15.2 months. The one-year, two-year and three-year survival rates were 47.4%, 23.3% and 10.0%. Gender and pathological types were the independent risk factors influencing PFS time (P=0.028, P=0.009). Tumor pathological type and early efficacy were independent factors for the prognosis (P=0.018, P=0.000). Adverse reactions were mostly rashes of I~II degree and diarrhea and slightly increasing level of aminopherase. The skin adverse event incidence of III degree or above was 1.8% (1/57) and brain metastasis was foudn in 31.6% (18/57). Conclusions: Gefitinib combined with cisplatin andgemcitabine, is effective for patients with IIIb~IV NSCLC who received multiple cycles of chemotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.14
• /
• pp.5721-5727
• /
• 2014

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of clustering methods used in the prognostic assessment of categorical clinical data for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients in China, and establish a predictable prognostic nomogram for clinical decisions. Materials and Methods: A total of 332 newly diagnosed HCC patients treated with hepatic resection during 2006-2009 were enrolled. Patients were regularly followed up at outpatient clinics. Clustering methods including the Average linkage, k-modes, fuzzy k-modes, PAM, CLARA, protocluster, and ROCK were compared by Monte Carlo simulation, and the optimal method was applied to investigate the clustering pattern of the indices including platelet count, platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and serum aspartate aminotransferase activity/platelet count ratio index (APRI). Then the clustering variable, age group, tumor size, number of tumor and vascular invasion were studied in a multivariable Cox regression model. A prognostic nomogram was constructed for clinical decisions. Results: The ROCK was best in both the overlapping and non-overlapping cases performed to assess the prognostic value of platelet-based indices. Patients with categorical platelet-based indices significantly split across two clusters, and those with high values, had a high risk of HCC recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 1.42, 95% CI 1.09-1.86; p<0.01). Tumor size, number of tumor and blood vessel invasion were also associated with high risk of HCC recurrence (all p< 0.01). The nomogram well predicted HCC patient survival at 3 and 5 years. Conclusions: A cluster of platelet-based indices combined with other clinical covariates could be used for prognosis evaluation in HCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.14
• /
• pp.5685-5689
• /
• 2014

Background: It is well known that smoking is a preventable factor for all-cause mortality; however, it is still questionable how many years after smoking cessation that people will have reduced risk for mortality, in particular in those with a high interest in their own health. We aimed to examine the association between time since quitting smoking and total mortality among past-smokers relative to current smokers. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 36,446 health examinees that voluntarily taken with diverse health check-up packages of high cost burden in 1995-2003 and followed them till death by 2004. The history of cigarette smoking consumption was collected using a self-administrative questionnaire at the first visit time. Mortality risk by smoking cessation years was analyzed using Cox's proportional hazard model. Results: Compared to non-smokers, male smokers over 15 pack-years had higher risk for total mortality (HR=1.60, 95%CI 1.23-2.14). The mortality risk in female smokers with same pack-years was more pronounced than that in male smokers (HR=2.83, 95%CI 1.17-7.04) despite a small number of cases. Compared to current smokers, a decrease of total mortality was observed among those who ceased smoking, and inverse dose-response was found with years after cessation: RR 0.98 (95%CI, 0.64-1.41) (<2 yrs), 0.60 (95%CI, 0.43-0.83) (3-9 yrs), and 0.58 (95%CI, 0.43-0.79) (${\geq}10$ yrs). Conclusions: A reduced risk of total mortality was observed after 3 years of smoking cessation. Our findings suggest that at least 3 years of smoking cessation may contribute to reduce premature mortality among Asian men.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.1083-1087
• /
• 2013

Background: Colorectal cancer has several modifiable behavioural risk factors but their relationship to the risk of colon and rectum cancer separately and between countries with high and low incidence is not clear. Methods: Data from participants in the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration (APCSC) were used to estimate mortality from colon (International Classification of Diseases, revision 9 (ICD-9) 153, ICD-10 C18) and rectum (ICD-9 154, ICD-10 C19-20) cancers. Data on age, body mass index (BMI), serum cholesterol, height, smoking, physical activity, alcohol and diabetes mellitus were entered into Cox proportional hazards models. Results: 600,427 adults contributed 4,281,239 person-years follow-up. The mean ages (SD) for Asian and Australia/New Zealand cohorts were 44.0 (9.5) and 53.4 (14.5) years, respectively. 455 colon and 158 rectum cancer deaths were observed. Increasing age, BMI and attained adult height were associated with increased hazards of death from colorectal cancer, and physical activity was associated with a reduced hazard. After multiple adjustment, any physical activity was associated with a 28% lower hazard of colon cancer mortality (HR 0.72, 95%CI 0.53-0.96) and lower rectum cancer mortality (HR 0.75, 95%CI 0.45-1.27). A 2cm increase in height increased colon and all colorectal cancer mortality by 7% and 6% respectively. Conclusions: Physical inactivity and greater BMI are modifiable risk factors for colon cancer in both Western and Asian populations. Further efforts are needed to promote physical activity and reduce obesity while biological research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which they act to cause cancer mortality.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.9
• /
• pp.5219-5223
• /
• 2013

The number of axillary lymph nodes involved and retrieved are important prognostic factors in breast cancer. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether the lymph node ratio (LNR) is a better prognostic factor in predicting disease-free survival (DFS) for breast cancer patients as compared with pN staging. The analysis was based on 804 breast cancer patients who had underwent axillary lymph node dissection between 1999 and 2008 in Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center. Optimal cutoff points of LNR were calculated using X-tile software and validated by bootstrapping. Patients were then divided into three groups (low-, intermediate-, and high-risk) according to the cutoff points. Predicting risk factors for relapse were performed according to Cox proportional hazards analysis. DFS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. The 5-year DFS rate decreased significantly with increasing LNRs and pN. Univariate analysis found that the pT, pN, LNR, molecule type, HER2, pTNM stage and radiotherapy well classified patients with significantly different prognosis. By multivariate analysis, only LNR classification was retained as an independent prognostic factor. Furthermore, there was a significant prognostic difference among different LNR categories for pN2 category, but no apparent prognostic difference was seen between different pN categories in any LNR category. Therefore, LNR rather than pN staging is preferable in predicting DFS in node positive breast cancer patients, and routine clinical decision-making should take the LNR into consideration.