• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 1998

Objectives: Minimal improvement in the long-term survival of head and neck cancer(HNC) patients has occurred despite a multitude of advances in the control of loco regional disease and a second primary malignancy(SPM) contribute to the continued poor prognosis for the HNC patients. This study was performed in order to identify the clinical characteristics of SPM in the HNC patients. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 354 patients of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that were followed up after initial treatment during the period of 1987 through 1994 were reviewed. This study examines the medical records of 354 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, of whom 26 subsequently developed a second neoplasm. Results: The actuarial SPM rate was 7.3%, and median time to presentation for the SPM was 26.8 months. The SPM were more likely to occur in male patients who had oral cavity index tumors. Patient whose index tumor was small at diagnosis had a greater chance of developing a second tumor as did those with no cervical lymph node metastases to the neck. Initial treatment modality was not associated with an increased risk of developing a second tumor. The commonest sites for the SPM were the lung and other head and neck area. The 3-year survival for patients who developed a secondary tumor from the time of its diagnosis was 27.8%. Conclusion: The SPM in the head and neck cancer patients are not uncommon and early detection of the SPM will contribute to increase the long-term survival of HNC patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1841-1844
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• 2012

Background: The majority of patients with pancreatic cancer present with advanced disease. Systemic chemotherapy has limited impact on overall survival (OS) so that eligible patients should be selected carefully. The aim of this study was to analyze prognostic factors for survival in Turkish advanced pancreatic cancer patients who survived more than one year from the diagnosis of recurrent and/or metastatic disease and receiving gemcitabine (Gem) alone or gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GemCis). Methods: This retrospective evaluation was performed for patients who survived more than one year from the diagnosis of recurrent and/or metastatic disease and who received gemcitabine between December 2005 and August 2011. Twenty-seven potential prognostic variables were chosen for univariate and multivariate analyses to identify prognostic factors associated with survival. Results: Among the 27 variables in univariate analysis, three were identified to have prognostic significance: sex (p = 0.04), peritoneal dissemination (p =0.02) and serum creatinine level (p=0.05). Multivariate analysis by Cox proportional hazard model showed only peritoneal dissemination to be an independent prognostic factor for survival. Conclusion: In conclusion, peritoneal metastasis was identified as an important prognostic factor in metastatic pancreatic cancer patients who survived more than one year from the diagnosis of recurrent and/or metastatic disease and receiving Gem or GemCis. The findings should facilitate pretreatment prediction of survival and can be used for selecting patients for treatment.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.118-126
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• 2015

Background and objectives: A deficiency of BH4 (tetrahydrobiopterin) not only causes the classical phenylketonuric phenotype, but also is the source of neurological signs and symptoms due to impaired syntheses of L-Dopa and serotonin. The treatment of BH4 deficiency usually consists of replacement with BH4 and the neurotransmitters. We performed this study to finding out long-term follow-up clinical symptoms and prognosis of BH4 deficiency. Methods: Clinical and biochemical, genetic analysis were done retrospectively from January 1999 to July 2015 in Soonchunhyang University Hospital. Results: In our study, total 207 patients were confirmed to hyperphenylalaninemia. Among them, 10 patients were BH4 deficiency. 9 patients were 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin (PTPS) deficiency and one patient was dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) deficiency. The patients who received delayed treatment, most of our patients suffered from severe psychomotor retardation, hypotonia and seizure. c.259C>T mutation was identified most commonly in PTPS gene analysis. A patient with DHPR deficiency had a mental retardation, dystonia, seizure. His seizure semiology was dialeptic feature. His EEG showed generalized spike wave patterns. All patients had treated with tolerate L-Dopa, BH4 and 5-hydroxytryptophan. Most of the early treated patients have a good tolerance for drugs well. But some patients had neurologic symptoms, despite early detection and treatment. Conclusion: BH4 deficiency patients who had delayed treatment tend to have severe psychomotor problem and neurologic deficits.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.233-245
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• 2016

Objectives There is growing interest in the management of cancer survivors due to the increase in long-term survivors. But no literature research focusing on the management of cancer survivors has been done in Sasang Constitutional Medicine despite the superiority in comprehensive management of patients. Therefore, we planned to look into the perspective of health preservation in Sasang Constitutional Medicine.Methods We investigated the 『Donguisusebowon-Sasangchobongwon(東醫壽世保元 四象草本卷)』. We classified the contents which might be applicable to cancer patients. After classifying, we compared the contents with clinical experience and health preservation methods of Western Medicine.Results and Conclusions The health preservation is mentioned mostly as Joyang(調養). The Sasang Constitutional Medicine classifies the lives of people in 8 stages. Depending on the stages, there is a difference in the prognosis and management. Cancer patients can be regarded as being in the stages of Noeok(牢獄) and Wiegyeong(危傾). In these stages, patient's health preservation is important. In order to achieve long-term survival and to prevent disease progression, it is important to maintain requisite energy(保命之主). The attitudes that patient must have are simplicity(簡約), attentiveness(勤幹), vigilance(警戒), knowledgeability(聞見) for keeping one's own health and fulfilling the social obligations of human relations. The concept of health preservation in Sasang Constitutional Medicine covers the wide range of health. But detailed methods for patients to understand and practice are lacking. Moreover, it is hard for cancer patients to access the information. Therefore, further researches should be done to make the concept more specific and easy to access for cancer patients.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.109-114
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• 1996

Plasmacytoma is one of the malignant neoplasm that originate in immunoglobulin-producing plasma cell, and occurrence in gingiva is known to be rare. About 7% of all patients with plasma cell malignancies present with solitary lesions in bone or soft tissues. In 30% to 40% of patients, the disease progresses to mulitiple myeloma on long-term follow-up. the incidence of progression to multiple myeloma is higher in patients with a bone lesion as compared with an extramedullary lesion. Several studies have shown a relatively favorable course for both these groups of patients, but many long-term studies have demonstrated the distinct difference in ultimate prognosis between patients with solitary lesions in bone and those with extramedullary lesions. The primary objective in the past has been to suppress the immune system to permit allotransplantation. But immunosuppressant also increases the incidence of malignant neoplasms in patients after allograft transplantation. We treated a 15-year patient with plasmacytoma on gingiva who had received kindny transplantation & immunosuppressant therapy. We excised this lesion & performed radiotherapy and had a favorable result.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.361-368
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• 2021

Background: In general, a 2-cm surgical margin is recommended for limited resection to obtain equivalent oncologic outcomes to lobectomy for lung cancer. This study aimed to examine the patterns of recurrence and prognostic factors for recurrence in patients with a close parenchymal resection margin. Methods: From January 2009 to April 2017, 156 patients with stage I lung cancer who underwent segmentectomy with a close resection margin (<2 cm) were enrolled. Recurrence-free survival and overall survival were assessed. In addition, predisposing factors for recurrence were evaluated. Results: The mean tumor size was 1.7±0.8 cm and the parenchymal resection margin was 1.1±0.6 cm. Recurrence developed in 17 (10.7%) of the 156 patients, and the 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 88.9%. Distant metastasis (7.7%) was the predominant recurrence pattern. The isolated local recurrence rate was 1.9%. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age, tumor size, mediastinal lymph node dissection, postoperative complications, and histologic type were significant predisposing factors for recurrence. However, parenchymal margin distance did not significantly affect the long-term prognosis. Conclusion: Segmentectomy with a close resection margin for early-stage lung cancer in selected patients resulted in acceptable recurrence and survival. However, patients with tumors larger than 2 cm, squamous cell carcinoma histology, and insufficient mediastinal evaluation should be carefully followed up for recurrence.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2023

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which accounts for approximately 90% of oral cancers, has a high rate of local recurrence and a poor prognosis despite improvements in treatment. Exosomes released from OSCC cells promote cell proliferation and metastasis. Although it is clear that the biogenesis of exosomes is mediated by the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery, the gene expression pattern of ESCRT, depending on the cell type, remains elusive. The exosomal release from the human OSCC cell lines, HSC-3 and HSC-4, and their corresponding gefitinib-resistant sub-cell lines, HSC-3/GR and HSC-4/GR, was assessed by western blot and flow cytometry. The levels of ESCRT machinery proteins, including Hrs, Tsg101, and Alix, and whole-cell ubiquitination were evaluated by western blot. We observed that the basal level of exosomal release was higher in HSC-3/GR and HSC-4/GR cells than in HSC-3 and HSC-4 cells, respectively. Long-term gefitinib exposure of each cell line and its corresponding gefitinib-resistant sub-cell line differentially induced the expression of the ESCRT machinery. Furthermore, whole-cell ubiquitination and autophagic flux were shown to be increased in gefitinib-treated HSC-3 and HSC-4 cells. Our data indicate that the expression patterns of the ESCRT machinery genes are differentially regulated by the characteristics of cells, such as intracellular energy metabolism. Therefore, the expression patterns of the ESCRT machinery should be considered as a key factor to improve the treatment strategy for OSCC.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.456-477
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• 2024

Background: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) both require long-term management, and patients with asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) need comprehensive and prolonged care beyond pharmacotherapy. However, due to limited research on ACO, treatment strategies and long-term outcomes remain unclear. This highlights the need for further multidisciplinary research to improve ACO treatment and prognosis. Case Presentation: This case report describes a patient who presented with symptoms of cough, sputum, wheezing, dyspnea, and oral dryness. The patient was diagnosed with ACO and received a combination of Korean medicine treatments alongside standard asthma medication for 15 days. Standardized tools were used to evaluate symptoms and quality of life, respectively. After treatment, Medical Research Council scale, Leicester cough questionnaire Korean-Version and Numerical Rating Score demonstrated clinically meaningful improvement, and Total IgE and Eosinophils were slightly decreased. Conclusion: This case suggests Korean medicine treatments might be effective in managing symptoms in patients with ACO and enhancing quality of life.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.497-506
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• 2000

This study is comprised of data obtained from the files of 346 patients with temporomandibular disorders. All patients were diagnosed, treated and followed in the Department of Dentistry at the Inha university hospital, Incheon, Korea. The patients had treated with medications, physical therapy, occlusal splint and arthrocentesis. The study data were obtained from the medical records and telephone interviews that were conducted by research assistants. The results were as follows 1. The patient's main complaint was pain(77%), and mouth opening limitation was 17%. 2. An analysis of the medical records of the 346 patients disclosed that 82% were improved and 17% had no improvement when they were dismissed. 1% of the patients had become worse during therapy. 3. A success rate of 82% was achieved when medication assisted physical therapy was included. In the current status at the telephone interview, 270 patients(89%) reported that they were doing well with 56% describing themselves as asymtomatic and 32% experiencing only minor residual or recurrent symptoms. 11% regarded themselves as unimproved and worse. 4. In the current status of the unsuccessfully treated patients by medications and physical therapy, 64% of patients were doing well(3% as asymptomatic and 56% as only minor residual or recurrent symptom). But 36% of patients was reported as unimproved and worse. 5. TMJ has a remarkable adaptive potential and TMJ disorder has a natural history of spontaneous fluctuations and favorable prognosis during the subsequent natural course. 6. In the treatment of the temporomandibular disorders, there is a treatment ladder, starting with the simplest and least expensive treatment, that is ascended until resolution of the patient's symptoms occur. These findings suggest that conservative reversible therapies are both sufficient and appropriate for management of temporomandibular disorder in most patients. Major alterations of mandibular position or dentoalveolar relationships do not appear to be necessary for obtaining either short term or long term success and therefore they can be generally regards as inappropriate treatment for this disorder. The fact that physical therapy is non-invasive and does not appear to be fraught with irreversible changes, makes it a very applicable vehicle in the area of clinical TMJ disorder management.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.893-897
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• 2003

Purpose : Benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes(BECT) is characterized by an excellent prognosis. Therefore, the necessity for the use of antiepileptic drugs is controversial. The object of this study is to know about the long-term follow-up of BECT, comparing daily treatment with antiepileptic drug(AED) versus no medication. Methods : We retrospectively studied 56 cases of BECTs, examined at Pediatric Neurology Clinic, Korea University Medical Center as reference study time, August 2002. Thirty-eight patients didn't have mediation(group I), while eighteen patients received one or two AED(group II). We evaluated demographics, clinical manifestations at diagnosis, EEG findings and clinical courses in groups I & II. Results : There was no significant differences of sex, age, seizure frequency, seizure type, seizure onset time, family history and EEG findings between group I & II. The reasons to start AED were : parents' anxiety(three cases), frequent seizure(12 cases) and daytime seizure(three cases). There was no evolution of status epilepticus and no difficulty in school performance. Conclusion : AED treatment was of no advantage and long-term prognosis was good regardless of treatment strategy. So it is advisable not to choose AED as the first line of therapy, provided that the patient himself/herself or the family understands the benign nature of BECT.