• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1123-1130
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• 2018

Purpose: Exposure to indoor radon is associated with lung cancer. This study aimed to estimate the number of lung cancer deaths attributable to indoor radon exposure, its burden of disease, and the effects of radon mitigation in Korea in 2010. Materials and Methods: Lung cancer deaths due to indoor radon exposure were estimated using exposure-response relations reported in previous studies. Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated to quantify disease burden in relation to premature deaths. Mitigation effects were examined under scenarios in which all homes with indoor radon concentrations above a specified level were remediated below the level. Results: The estimated number of lung cancer deaths attributable to indoor radon exposure ranged from 1946 to 3863, accounting for 12.5-24.7% of 15623 total lung cancer deaths in 2010. YLLs due to premature deaths were estimated at 43140-101855 years (90-212 years per 100000 population). If all homes with radon levels above $148Bq/m^3$ are effectively remediated, 502-732 lung cancer deaths and 10972-18479 YLLs could be prevented. Conclusion: These findings suggest that indoor radon exposure contributes considerably to lung cancer, and that reducing indoor radon concentration would be helpful for decreasing the disease burden from lung cancer deaths.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.2037-2042
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• 2013

Background: Different methods of diagnosis have been found to be inefficient in terms of screening and early diagnosis of lung cancer. Cancer cells produce proteins whose serum levels may be elevated during the early stages of cancer development. Therefore, those proteins may be recognized as potential cancer markers. The aim of this study was to differentiate healthy individuals and lung cancer cases by analyzing their serum protein profiles and evaluate the efficacy of this method in the early diagnosis of lung cancer. Materials and Methods: 170 patients with lung cancer, 53 under high risk of lung cancer, and 47 healthy people were included in our study. Proteomic analysis of the samples was performed with the SELDI-TOF-MS approach. Results: The most discriminatory peak of the high risk group was 8141. When tree classification analysis was performed between lung cancer and the healthy control group, 11547 was determined as the most discriminatory peak, with a sensitivity of 85.5%, a specificity of 89.4%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 96.7% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 62.7%. Conclusions: We determined three different protein peaks 11480, 11547 and 11679 were only present in the lung cancer group. The 8141 peak was found in the high-risk group, but not in the lung cancer and control groups. These peaks may prove to be markers of lung cancer which suggests that they may be used in the early diagnosis of lung cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.646-652
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• 1993

Background: Lung cancer and chronic obstructive lung disease often coexist in the same person who are elderly and cigarette smoking. There are several reports that the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease constitutes an independent risk factor for the development of lung cancer. Moreover, the association between mucus hypersecrtion and lung cacer has been reported. Method: In 72 cases with primary lung cancer which were confirmed histopathologically at Chonbuk University Hospital from August 1986 to July 1991, We evaluated the relationship between spirometry and lung cancer characteristics. Results: Six cases(8.3%) showed normal lung function, 16(22.2%) cases showed pure restrictive lung disease, 46(63.9%) cases showed moderated obstructive lung disease and 4(5.6%) cases showed severe obstructive lung disease. $FEV_1$(%) was lower in central type than in peripheral type, lower in advanced non-small cell cancer and lower in subjects with phlegm. $FEV_1$/FVC(%) was higher in small cell cancer than in squamous cell cancer and higher in patients without previous pulmonary disease than with previous pulmonary disease. But there was no statistically significant difference in lung function according to histologic types and smoking history. Lung cancers with $FEV_1$/FVC less than 75% consisted of 35 cases of squamous cell cancer, 7 of small cell cancer(14%), 5 of adenocarcinoma(10%), 2 of large-cell carcinoma and 1 of unclassified carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma occured more in patients with $FEV_1$/FVC<75% than with $FEV_1$/FVC$\geq$75%(p<0.05). Conclusion: It was suggest that low $FEV_1$/FVC, as reflection of obstructive lung disease, may be at greater risk for squamous cell carcinoma in cigarette smoker.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.13
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• pp.5299-5303
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• 2014

Background: To explore etiology for providing scientific clues for the prevention of lung cancer. Materials and Methods: Data for lung cancer incidence and meteorological geographic factors from 25 counties in Zhejiang province of China during 2011 were studied. Stepwise multiple regression and correlation analysis were performed to analyze the geographic distribution and epidemiology of lung cancer. Results: 8,291 new cases (5,998 in males and 2,293 females) of lung cancer during 2011 in Zhejiang province were reported in the 25 studied counties. Reported and standardized incidence rates for lung cancer were 58.0 and 47.0 per 100,000 population, respectively. The incidence of lung cancer increased with age. Geographic distribution analysis shows that the standardized incidence rates of lung cancer in northeastern Zhejiang province were higher than in the southwestern part, such as in Nanhu, Fuyang, Wuxing and Yuyao counties, where the rates were more than 50 per 100,000 population. In the southwestern Zhejiang province, for instance, in Yueqing, Xianju and Jiande counties, the standardized incidence rates of lung cancer were lower than 37 per 100,000 population. Spearman correlation tests showed that forest coverage rate, air quality index (AQI), and annual precipitation level are associated with the incidence of lung cancer. Conclusions: Lung cancer in Zhejiang province shows obvious regional differences. High incidence appears associated with low forest coverage rate, poor air quality and low annual precipitation. Therefore, increasing the forest coverage rate and controlling air pollution may play an important role in lung cancer prevention.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2511-2515
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• 2014

Objective: Lung cancer is one of the malignant tumors with greatest morbidity and mortality around the world. The keys to targeted therapy are discovery of lung cancer biomarkers to facilitate improvement of survival and quality of life for the patients with lung cancer. Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is one of the most overexpressed proteins in human lung cancer cells by comparison to the normal cells, suggesting that it might be a good biomarker for lung cancer. Materials and Methods: In the present study, the targeted efficacy of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on TCTP expression in the A549 lung cancer cell model was explored. Results and Conclusions: DHA could inhibit A549 lung cancer cell proliferation, and simultaneously up-regulate the expression of TCTP mRNA, but down-regulate its protein expression in A549 cells. In addition, it promoted TCTP protein secretion. Therefore, TCTP might be used as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for non-small cell lung cancers.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.934-939
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• 1993

Mediastinal lymph node involvement [N2 disease] is generally accepted as an important factor influencing the outcome of patients with lung cancer.The long-term survival rates of completely resected patients with N2 disease are frequently reported from 15% to 30%.To improve the management and the outcome of patients with resectable N2 disease, we analyzed the survival rates and the prognostic factors for resected N2 lung cancer. Between August 1989 and September 1993, we experienced 27 patients with N2 disease of 115 surgically treated lung cancer at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Asan Medical Center, Ulsan University Medical School. Of these 27 N2 disease 4 had only an exploratory thoracotomy, and 23 underwent pulmonary resection by pneumonectomy[15], bilobectomy[3], lobectomy[4] and sleeve lobectomy[1].All of resected 23 patients received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy[3], radiotherapy[2] or combined chemo-radiotherapy[18].Complete follow-up was obtained in 23 patients and median survival was 22 months and overall 1-year and 2-year survival rates by Kaplan-Meir method were 65 % and 45 %, respectively. Survival differences according to histology, tumor location, number of positive nodal station and operative method were not significant, statistically. Conclusively, we think that in resectable N2 lung cancer, complete tumor resection and mediastinal lymph node dissection, and postoperative adjuvant therapy should be done to improve the survival.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.300-304
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• 2011

Exhaled breath gases include gases generated in the body. When there is disease in the body, exhalation can include gas components from the disease. If we can find these specific elements through analysis of the exhalation gases, this can be an effective way to diagnose the disease. The lung has a close relationship with exhalation. Lung cancer refers to malignant tumors which originate in the lungs. Exhalation from the lung causes direct jets of gas to be ejected through the mouth and nose, so by analyzing these jets it may be possible to diagnose lung cancer. In our study we attempt to diagnose lung cancer from patient's exhaled gases. Exhalation of lung cancer patients was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy(GC-MS) and the expiratory gas was also measured using a sensor system. The system was designed to use a metal oxide sensor and solid phase micro extraction(SPME) fiber. The GC-MS analysis of the healthy subject's and cancer patient's exhalation gases both showed the presence of decane in the breath of patients with lung cancer. In addition, the results from the sensor system showed significant difference between the lung cancer patients and the healthy subjects.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4711-4714
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• 2015

Background: The incidence of lung cancer increases with age. Approximately 50% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are over 70 years old. Because of the increasing elderly population, treatment approaches in this age group continue to be studied similar to groups of young people. Materials and Methods: In the current study, 26 patients who underwent radical surgery and adjuvan chemoradiation at Ataturk Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Of 21 patients (81%) were male and the average age was 74.4. Lobectomy was performed in 18 cases, pneumonectomy in 3, sleeve lobectomy in 3 and bilobectomy in 2. There was no perioperative or early period mortality. Overall survival was 24.5 months. Conclusions: From our study, lung cancer surgery and adjuvant therapy can be performed safely with low morbidity in the elderly.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.71-74
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• 2013

Here, we present a case of lung cancer in a 48-year-old male horse trainer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such case report to include an exposure assessment of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) as a quartz. The trainer had no family history of lung cancer. Although he had a 15 pack/year cigarette-smoking history, he had stopped smoking 12 years prior to his diagnosis. For the past 23 years, he had performed longeing, and trained 7-12 horses per day on longeing arena surfaces covered by recycled sands, the same surfaces used in race tracks. We investigated his workplace RCS exposure, and found it to be the likely cause of his lung cancer. The 8-hour time weight average range of RCS was 0.020 to $0.086mg/m^3$ in the longeing arena. Horse trainers are exposed to RCS from the sand in longeing arenas, and the exposure level is high enough to have epidemiological ramifications for the occupational risk of lung cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.604-608
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• 1998

Von Recklinghausen's disease is an autosomal dominant hereditary disease associated with characteristic cafe-au-lait spots of skin and multiple neurofibromatosis. It is complicated by malignancies, which in most cases is neurofibrosarcoma. The development of lung cancer in von Recklinghausen's disease is rare. A 61-year-old male was admitted for cough and sputum for 20 days. He had multiple cafe-au-lait spots and subcutaneous neurofibromas in whole body area and Lisch nodules in both iris and he had been diagnosed von Recklinghausen's disease 35 years ago. Chest radiography showed emphysematous bullae in both upper lung field and mass in right upper lung field. Chest CT scan revealed subcarinal lymph node enlargement. Bronchoscopic biopsy was done in mass in superior segment of right lower lobe and the results showed squamous cell carcinoma. The presence of von Recklinghausen's disease and lung cancer are noteworthy.