• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.421-425
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• 2012

Cancer can be a major cause of poverty. This may be due either to the costs of treating and managing the illness as well as its impact upon people's ability to work. This is a concern that particularly affects countries that lack comprehensive social health insurance systems and other types of social safety nets. The ACTION study is a longitudinal cohort study of 10,000 hospital patients with a first time diagnosis of cancer. It aims to assess the impact of cancer on the economic circumstances of patients and their households, patients' quality of life, costs of treatment and survival. Patients will be followed throughout the first year after their cancer diagnosis, with interviews conducted at baseline (after diagnosis), three and 12 months. A cross-section of public and private hospitals as well as cancer centers across eight member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will invite patients to participate. The primary outcome is incidence of financial catastrophe following treatment for cancer, defined as out-of-pocket health care expenditure at 12 months exceeding 30% of household income. Secondary outcomes include illness induced poverty, quality of life, psychological distress, economic hardship, survival and disease status. The findings can raise awareness of the extent of the cancer problem in South East Asia and its breadth in terms of its implications for households and the communities in which cancer patients live, identify priorities for further research and catalyze political action to put in place effective cancer control policies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6813-6823
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• 2015

Glioblastoma, also known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive of human brain tumors and has a stunning progression with a mean survival of one year from the date of diagnosis. High cell proliferation, angiogenesis and/or necrosis are histopathological features of this cancer, which has no efficient curative therapy. This aggressiveness is associated with particular heterogeneity of the tumor featuring multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations, but also with implications of aberrant signaling driven by growth factors. The transforming growth factor ${\beta}$ ($TGF{\beta}$) superfamily is a large group of structurally related proteins including $TGF{\beta}$ subfamily members Nodal, Activin, Lefty, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and growth and differentiation factor (GDF). It is involved in important biological functions including morphogenesis, embryonic development, adult stem cell differentiation, immune regulation, wound healing and inflammation. This superfamily is also considered to impact on cancer biology including that of GBM, with various effects depending on the member. The $TGF{\beta}$ subfamily, in particular, is overexpressed in some GBM types which exhibit aggressive phenotypes. This subfamily impairs anti-cancer immune responses in several ways, including immune cells inhibition and major histocompatibility (MHC) class I and II abolishment. It promotes GBM angiogenesis by inducing angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-I) and insulinlike growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7), contributes to GBM progression by inducing metalloproteinases (MMPs), "pro-neoplastic" integrins (${\alpha}v{\beta}3$, ${\alpha}5{\beta}1$) and GBM initiating cells (GICs) as well as inducing a GBM mesenchymal phenotype. Equally, Nodal promotes GICs, induces cancer metabolic switch and supports GBM cell proliferation, but is negatively regulated by Lefty. Activin promotes GBM cell proliferation while GDF yields immune-escape function. On the other hand, BMPs target GICS and induce differentiation and sensitivity to chemotherapy. This multifaceted involvement of this superfamily in GBM necessitates different strategies in anti-cancer therapy. While suppressing the $TGF{\beta}$ subfamily yields advantageous results, enhancing BMPs production is also beneficial.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.448-454
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• 2007

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of using the free flap in the reconstruction of maxillary defects. Methods: 27 consecutive cases of maxillary reconstruction with free flap were reviewed. All clinical data were analyzed, including ideal selection of flap, time of reconstruction, recurrence of cancer, postoperative complications, flap design, and follow-up results. The main operative functional items, including speech, oral diet, mastication, eye globe position and function, respiration, and aesthetic results were evaluated. Results: Among the 24 patients who underwent maxillary reconstruction with the free flap, 14 patients underwent immediate reconstruction after maxillary cancer ablation, and 10 patients underwent delayed reconstruction. There occurred 1 flap loss. Recurrences of the cancer after the reconstruction happened in 2 cases. Postoperative complications were 3 cases of gravitational ptosis of the flap, 2 cases of the nasal obstruction, and 1 case of fistula formation. Out of 27 free flaps, there were 15 latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps, 5 radial forearm, 4 rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps, 1 scapular flap, 2 fibula osteocutaneous flap, respectively. Flaps were designed such as 1 lobe in 9 cases, 2 lobes in 9 cases, and 3 lobes in 5 cases. Among the 14 patients who had intraoral defect or who had palatal resection surgery, 2 patients complained the inaccuracy of the pronunciation due to the ptosis of the flap. It was corrected by the reconstruction of the maxillary buttress and hung the sling to the upper direction. All of the 14 patients were able to take unrestricted diets. In 6 patients who had reconstruction of inferior orbital wall with rib bone graft, they preserved normal vision. Aesthetically, most of the patients were satisfied with the result. Conclusion: LD free flap is suggested in uni-maxilla defect as the 1st choice, and fibular osteocutaneous flap and calvarial bone graft to cover the larger defect in bi-maxilla defect.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.250-255
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• 2009

Seven compounds including hederagenin 3-[(O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-${\alpha}$-L-arabinopyranosyl) (1), $3{\beta}$-[(O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-${\alpha}$-L-arabinopyranosyl)oxy]olean-12-en-28-oic acid (2), caffeic acid methyl ester (3), ferulic acid (4), orebiusin A (5), latifonicinin C (6) and 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfuraldehyde (7) were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the roots of Pulsatilla koreana. Their chemical structures were established based on physicochemical and spectroscopic data analyses. All isolates were investigated for their cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines. Among them, compound 1 showed inhibitory activity against A549, COLO 205, and L1210 cancer cell lines with $IC_{50}$ values of 15.8, 36.5, and 22.8 ${\mu}g$/mL, respectively.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2008

Three sesquiterpene-lignans, eudeshonokiol B (1), eudesobovatol B (2), and clovanemagnolol (3), were isolated from the stem bark of Magnolia obovata, together with magnolol (4), honokiol (5), and obovatol (6) on the basis of spectroscopic and physicochemical analyses including 2D NMR and Mass. Compounds 1 - 3 were belongs to a unique class of natural products made up of a sesquiterpene and biphenyl-type neolignan via an ether bond. All the isolated compounds were tested in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against the HeLa, A549, and HCTll6 cancer cell lines. Compounds 1 - 6 showed the cytotoxic activity against tested cancer cell lines, with $IC_{50}$ values ranging from 7.1 to 14.4 ${\mu}g/mL$.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.132-137
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• 2019

The occurrence of hiatal hernia after total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction is rare. We report the case of a 76-year-old man who presented with dyspnea, vomiting, and fever around 8 days after total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a hiatal hernia containing part of the small intestine in the left thoracic cavity. Emergent reduction and repair of the hiatal hernia were performed later. Operative findings revealed that the Roux limb was incarcerated in the left pleural cavity. Esophagojejunostomy leakage, perforation of the small intestine with transient ischemic change, and pyothorax were also found. Thus, feeding jejunostomy, thoracoscopic decortication, and diversion T-tube esophagostomy were performed. Considering that the main cause of hiatal hernia is blunt dissection with division of the phrenoesophageal membrane, approximating the crus with 1 or 2 figure-8 sutures, according to the size of the defect, to prevent the incidence of hiatal hernia after total gastrectomy may be performed.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 1988

Since 1979 forty-three cancer patients have been given intrathecal block at the pain clinic of Yonsei Medical Center. The male patients numbered 23 and female 20 and most of them were in the 4th and 5th decades of age. In 78.6% of the patients, the diagnosis was rectal cancer in 20 cases, cervix cancer in 7 cases, bladder cancer in 4 cases and colon cancer in 3 cases. Thirty six patients with cancer pain were treated by intrathecal 10% phenol-glycerine block and rest of them had only test block. Fourteen patients whose pain sites were lumbar or lumbar and upper sacral dermatomes were put into the lateral recumbent position on the fluoroscopic table. The spinal puncture was performed as close to the spinal roots to be impregnated as possible. In 22 patients the pain sites were covered by the sacral dermatomes and so the L5-S1 interspace was punctured in the sitting position shifted 15 degree to the affected site. Fifty one blocks were performed and their results are classified into three categories: good, fair antral poor. We achieved good results in 38 patients(77.1%), fair in 6 patients(17.1%) and poor in 2 patient(5.7%). Thus a satisfactory pain relief was achieved in 94.2% of patients. After intrathecal block with phenol glycerine, transient voiding difficulty was noted in 7, defecation difficulty in 1, and transient paresthesia and/or muscle weakness was present in 3 patients. The mean duration of pain relief was 2.5 months and longer than the mean survival time of 2.25 months. When patients are selected carefully and tile block is performed with great caution and good technique, the risk is minimal and a long lasting relief of intractable cancer pain achieves a painless life until death.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.215-222
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• 1989

A macromolecular fraction from fresh ginseng root containing mainly polysaccharide showed mild mitogenic activity in human cord blood lymphocytes. 2) When lymphocytes were transformed by Con A or PHA, this fraction could greatly enhance the activity of these lectin mitogens, thus showing a potentiation effect. 3) Although this macromolerular fraction contains saponin and is susceptible to trypsin digestion, it is probably a peptido-glycan in nature on account of its important carbohydrate content and thermal stability. 4) This fraction could not support cancer cell (EAT, K562) growth : its inhibitory effect on these cells remains to be explored.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 1990

Three hundred and eighty-nine cases of splanchnic nerve block were retrospectively divided into 3 groups according to the change of alcohol concentration. In Group 1 (26 cases), about 7 ml of 1% lidocaine was used bilaterally as test block followed by an injection of 20 ml of 50% alcohol bilaterally. In Group 2 (286 cases) the same test block was followed by the same amount of pure and 50% alcohol. In Group 3 (77 cases) and used 30 ml of 75% alcohol bilaterally. The overall success rate of the first alcohol block in group 1, 2 and 3 was 73.1%, 92.0% and 84.4% respectively. From the above results, that splanchnic nerve block by pure alcohol was the most reliable method for upper abdominal cancer patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 1990

One hundred among 320 patients who underwent splanchnic nerve block were evaluated retrospectively by telephone or letters. After splanchnic nerve block most of the patient experienced relatively good pain relief until death. The results were as follows 1) The duration of pain relief and survival time were well correlated. 2) The duration of survival time after the block was varied from 35 days to 240 days. These data suggest that the splanchnic nerve block is a satisfactory and reliable method for terminal cancer pain and results in a painless life until death.