• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제1권3호
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• pp.168-173
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• 2001

Purpose: A positive esophageal margin is encountered in a total gastrectomy not infrequently. The aim of this retrospective review was to evaluate whether a positive esophageal margin predisposes a patient to loco-regional recurrence and whether it has an independent impact on long-term survival. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 224 total gastrectomies for adenocarcinomas was undertaken. The Chisquare test was used to determine the statistical significance of differences, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates. Significant differences in the survival rates were assessed using the log-rank test, and independent prognostic significance was evaluated using the Cox regression method. Results: The prevalence of esophageal margin involvement was $3.6\%$ (8/224). Univariate analysis showed that advanced stage (stage III/IV), tumor size ($\geq$5 cm), tumor site (whole or upper one-third of the stomach), macroscopic type (Borrmann type 4), esophageal invasion, esophageal margin involvement, lymphatic invasion, and venous invasion affected survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that TNM stage, venous invasion, and esophageal margin involvement were the only significant factors influencing the prognosis. All patients with a positive esophageal margin died with metastasis before local recurrence became a problem. A macroscopic proximal distance of more than 6 cm of esophagus was needed to be free of tumors, excluding one exceptional case which involved 15 cm of esophagus. Conclusion: All of the patients with a positive proximal resection margin after a total gastrectomy had advanced disease with a poor prognosis, but they were not predisposed to anastomotic recurrence. Early detection and extended, but reasonable, surgical resection of curable lesions are mandatory to improve the prognosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권17호
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• pp.7219-7222
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• 2014

Background: Early gastric cancer (EGC) is well accepted as having a favorable prognosis, but some patients experience an ominous outcome after curative resection. This study was aimed at evaluating predictive factors associated with prognosis of D2 gastrectomies in patients with early gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 518 patients with early gastric cancer who underwent D2 gastrectomies were reviewed in this study. The clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes were analyzed. The survival rate was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log rank test. Prognostic factors were analyzed using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. Results: The 5-year survival rate was 90.3%. Tumor infiltration, lymph node metastasis and lymphovascular invasion were significant prognostic factors for survival. Gender, age, tumor size, tumor location, macroscopic type and histological type were not significant prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis indicated that lymph node metastasis was an independent poor prognosis factor. Conclusions: Early gastric cancers with lymph node metastasis have a relatively poor prognosis after standard surgery. Even after curative resection, patients with EGC with positive lymph nodes should be closely followed and be considered as candidates for comprehensive therapies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권9호
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• pp.4349-4352
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• 2016

Purpose: To evaluate whether combined transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have superior efficacy to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) alone a retrospective review was conducted. Methods: During January 2009 to March 2013, 108 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma underwent TACE or combined therapies (TACE+RFA or TACE+PEI). The long-term survival rates were evaluated in those patients by various statistical analyses. Results: The cumulative survival rates in the combined TACE+RFA/PEI group were significantly superior to those in the TACE alone group. When the comparison among the groups was restricted to patients with two or three tumors fulfilling the Milan criteria, significantly greater prolongation of survival was observed in the combined TACE+ RFA/PEI group than in the RFA/PEI alone group. Conclusions: In terms of the effect on the survival period, combined TACE+ RFA/PEI therapy was more effective than TACE monotherapy, and also more effective than PEI or RFA monotherapy in cases with multiple tumors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.3183-3186
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• 2013

Purpose: The 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual for esophageal cancer (EC) categorizes N stage according to the number of metastatic lymph nodes (LNs), irrespective of the site. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of subcarinal LN metastasis in patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: A retrospective analysis of 507 consecutive patients with ESCC was conducted. Potential clinicopathological factors that could influence subcarinal LN metastasis were statistically analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were also performed to evaluate the prognostic parameters for survival. Results: The frequency of subcarinal LN metastasis was 22.9% (116/507). Logistic regression analysis showed that tumor length (>3cm vs ${\leq}3cm$; P=0.027), tumor location (lower vs upper/middle; P=0.009), vessel involvement (Yes vs No; P=0.001) and depth of invasion (T3-4a vs T1-2; P=0.012) were associated with 2.085-, 1.810-, 2.535- and 2.201- fold increases, respectively, for risk of subcarinal LN metastasis. Multivariate analyses showed that differentiation (poor vs well/moderate; P=0.001), subcarinal LN metastasis (yes vs no; P=0.033), depth of invasion (T3-4a vs T1-2; P=0.014) and N staging (N1-3 vs N0; P=0.001) were independent prognostic factors. In addition, patients with subcarinal LN metastasis had a significantly lower 5-year cumulative survival rate than those without (26.7% vs 60.9%; P<0.001). Conclusions: Subcarinal LN metastasis is a predictive factor for long-term survival in patients with ESCC.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.55-64
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• 2017

Purpose: The outcomes and toxicities of locoregionally recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with curative radiotherapy were evaluated in the modern era. Materials and Methods: Fifty-seven patients receiving radical radiotherapy for locoregionally recurrent NSCLC without distant metastasis after surgery from 2004 to 2014 were reviewed. Forty-two patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), and 15 patients with radiotherapy alone. The median radiation dose was 66 Gy (range, 45 to 70 Gy). Lung function change after radiotherapy was evaluated by comparing pulmonary function tests before and at 1, 6, and 12 months after radiotherapy. Results: Median follow-up was 53.6 months (range, 12.0 to 107.5 months) among the survivors. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 54.8 months (range, 3.0 to 116.9 months) and 12.2 months (range, 0.8 to 100.2 months), respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that single locoregional recurrence focus and use of concurrent chemotherapy were significant prognostic factors for OS (p = 0.048 and p = 0.001, respectively) and PFS (p = 0.002 and p = 0.026, respectively). There was no significant change in predicted forced expiratory volume in one second after radiotherapy. Although diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide decreased significantly at 1 month after radiotherapy (p < 0.001), it recovered to pretreatment levels within 12 months. Acute grade 3 radiation pneumonitis and esophagitis were observed in 3 and 2 patients, respectively. There was no chronic complication observed in all patients. Conclusion: Salvage radiotherapy showed good survival outcomes without severe complications in postoperative locoregionally recurrent NSCLC patients. A single locoregional recurrent focus and the use of CCRT chemotherapy were associated with improved survival. CCRT should be considered as a salvage treatment in patients with good prognostic factors.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.132-137
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• 2009

Purpose : For the past 10 years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has been rapidly increased in female population showing current incidence of 12,000 new thyroid cancer patients annually in Korea. Though differentiated thyroid cancer is known to show favorable prognosis and excellent long-term survival from slow growth and late distant metastasis, we re-evaluated prognostic factors of recurrence and mortality following surgical procedures based on our cases. Material and Methods : 954 Patients of DTC surgically treated at Department of Surgery, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital between 1980 and 2004 were reviewed in the aspects of the surgical procedures, clinical staging, risk factors, recurrence and their outcome through median follow-up period of 10.5 years. Results : Recurrence in remnant thyroid, cervical nodes, and distant metastasis were observed in 84 paients(8.8%), and 31 patients were confirmed to be died of locoregional recurrence of cancer and distant metasasis. Regarding the risk factors to recurrence, tumor size, extrathyroidal extension, nodal metastasis, and capsular invasion were significant predictors(p<0.05). Local recurrence and distant metastasis had no statistical signiicance according to age, sex, pathology, surgery, and lymphovascular invasion. Overall 10-year survival rate was 92.4%, but low, intermediate, and high-risk patient showed 100%, 94.4%, and 70.5% respectively. Conclusion : The significant factors influencing local recurrence and distant metastasis were tumor size, extrathyroidal exension, LN metastasis, capsular invasion. In order to improve survival rate of high-risk group, appropriate and aggressive management should be recommended.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.9-15
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• 2005

Objectives : To analyze medical expenses by cancer site and survival time among cancer patients in their last year of life. Method : The study subjects were 45,394 people that had died of cancers in 2002, were registered by the Korea Central Cancer Registry and received National Health Insurance benefit in the last year (360 days) of life. Personal identification data, general characteristics, dates of death and cancer incidence, and site of cancer were collected from the National Statistical Office and the Korea Central Cancer Registry, and merged with the data of the individual medical expenses of the Health Insurance Review Agency. Results : Average monthly cost curves were U-shaped with high costs near the time of diagnosis and death, and lower costs in between. Medical expenses in the last year of life were around 30.3, 16.7, 13.0, and 12.1 million won among leukemia, lymphoma, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer patients, respectively. Digestive organ cancers including stomach, esophagus, liver, pancreas, and colorectal cancers had relatively low medical expenses. Medical expenses in the last year of life were inverse U-shaped with high expenses near one year of survival. Average monthly cost in the 12 months before death among the patients who had survived $10{\sim}15$ years were more than two-fold greater than the cost before diagnosis among those who had survived for less than one year. Conclusions : Leukemia was the most expensive cancer. It is possible that once diagnosed as cancer, medical expenses do not return to the level before diagnosis. Further research will be needed to understand the magnitude and change of the medical expenses among cancer patients with long term follow up data.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.87-100
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• 1988

The authors evaluated 200 cases of primary carcinoma of lung in terms of the cell type, operability, resectability and survival rate, that proved by histopathologic examination at the Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Catholic Medical College during the period of 11 years from Jan., 1977 to Dec., 1987. The results are as follows; 1] The peak incidence was observed in the 7th decade of life [34%] and followed by 6th [30%] 8 5th decade [25%]. Male to female ratio was 3.4:1. 2] Histopathologic classifications were squamous cell carcinoma 48% [96 cases], adenocarcinoma 27% [34 cases], small cell carcinoma 13%[26 cases], ;bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma 5% [10 cases], large cell carcinoma 4.5% [9 cases], adenosquamous cell carcinoma 1.5% [3 cases] and adenoalveolar cell carcinoma 0.5% [1 case]. 3] Among 200 cases of primary lung cancer, the operability was 47.5% [95 cases], refusal of operation 6.0% [12 cases] and inoperability 46.5% [93 cases]. 4] Ninety five cases [47.5%] were operated. Of these, post-surgical stage I was 18.9% [18 cases], stage II 24.2% [23 cases] and stage III 56.8% [54 cases]. Among 54 cases of stage III, 32 cases were unresectable, while 22 cases were resectable. Consequently, the resectability was 31.5% [63 cases] from the total numbers of 200 cases, and the resectability for the operable 95 cases was 66.3% [63 cases]. 5] Surgical complications were empyema with bronchopleural fistula [4 cases], G-I bleeding [1 case], tedious pleural effusion [1 case] and acute respiratory insufficiency [1 case]. Operative mortality was 3.2% [2 cases], which caused by massive G-I bleeding [1 case] and respiratory insufficiency [1 case]. 6] On the long term follow-up of resectable 63 cases, overall 3 year survival rate was 35%, 5 year 22% and 9 year 2%. Five year survival rate was 39% in stage l, 30% in stage II and 0% in stage III. As for the cell types, the higher 5 year survival rate was observed in resectable squamous cell carcinoma [35%] as compared to adenocarcinoma [15%], alveolar cell carcinoma [14%], small cell carcinoma [0%] and large cell carcinoma [0%].

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.7-12
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• 2011

Free-living amoebae ingest several kinds of bacteria. In other words, the bacteria can survive within free-living amoeba. To determine how Escherichia coli K1 isolate causing neonatal encephalitis and non-pathogenic K12 interact with free-living amoebae, e.g., Acanthamoeba castellanii (T1), A. astronyxis (T7), Naegleria fowleri, association, invasion and survival assays were performed. To understand pathogenicity of free-living amoebae, in vitro cytotoxicity assay were performed using murine macrophages. T1 destroyed macrophages about 64% but T7 did very few target cells. On the other hand, N. fowleri which needed other growth conditions rather than Acanthamoeba destroyed more than T1 as shown by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. In association assays for E. coli binding to amoebae, the T7 exhibited significantly higher association with E. coli, compared with the T1 isolates (P<0.01). Interestingly, N. fowleri exhibited similar percentages of association as T1. Once E. coli bacteria attach or associate with free-living amoeba, they can penetrate into the amoebae. In invasion assays, the K1 (0.67%) within T1 was observed compared with K12 (0%). E. coli K1 and K12 exhibited high association with N. fowleri and bacterial CFU. To determine the fate of E. coli in long-term survival within free-living amoebae, intracellular survival assays were performed by incubating E. coli with free-living amoebae in PBS for 24 h. Intracellular E. coli K1 within T1 (2.5%) and T7 (1.8%) were recovered and grown, while K12 were not found. N. fowleri was not invaded and here it was not recovered.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.35-40
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• 2005

Objective : Limited data are available concerning the outcome of the patients with atypical meningioma due to lack of the studies with large series. The authors review atypical meningioma retrospectively and analyzed various parameters concerning its outcome. Methods : Of the 866 meningioma patients treated between 1990 and 2003, pathologically proven 54 atypical meningiomas were reviewed. Various factors of the patients were analyzed, and surgical specimens were re-examined blindly by neuropathologist without any patient information. Extent of surgical resection was determined according to Simpson's classification by reviewing the chart and postoperative scan if possible. Results : Twenty-three [42.6%] had local recurrences during the follow-up, of which 13 [32.5%] of 40 complete excisions and 10 [71.4%] of 14 incomplete excisions. The median time to recurrence was 47 months, and the overall 3-, 5-, and 10-year local control rates were 62.4%, 41.5%, and 31.1%, respectively. Five [9.3%] died during follow-up period. The mean survival time was 123months, and the overall 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 94.2%, 87.2%, and 78.5%, respectively. The extent of surgical excision was the most significant prognostic factor not for survival but for local control [p=0.2179 and 0.0005, respectively]. Extracranial metastasis was not seen in our cases. Conclusion : Complete surgical excision is the most important factor in improving local control. Careful long-term follow-up is mandatory because atypical meningioma shows a broad range of aggressiveness and natural history.