• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.579-584
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• 2001

Lung cancer is known to metastasize to a wide range of organs. The main sites for the metastatic foci are the mediastinal lymph nodes, brain, bones, adrenal glands, and the liver. Metastases to the paranasal sinuses are rare. However, a metastatic maxillary tumor may be the initial presentation of an unknown primary malignancy. Here, we report a case of a lung cancer that metastased to the maxillary sinus because of its rarity and its effect on the treatment of the disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.470-477
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• 2022

Background: Upfront surgery followed by systemic treatment is recommended to treat clinical stage I-IIA small cell lung cancer (SCLC), but data on the clinical outcomes are sparse. Thus, this study evaluated the stage migration and long-term prognosis of surgically treated clinical stage I-IIA SCLC. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 49 patients with clinical stage I-IIA SCLC who underwent upfront surgery between 2000 and 2020. Additionally, we re-evaluated the TNM (tumor-node-metastasis) staging according to the eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for lung cancer. Results: The clinical stages of SCLC were cIA in 75.5%, cIB in 18.4%, and cIIA in 6.1% of patients. A preoperative histologic diagnosis was made in 65.3% of patients. Lobectomy and systematic lymph node dissection were performed in 77.6% and 83.7% of patients, respectively. The pathological stages were pI in 67.3%, pII in 24.5%, pIII in 4.1%, and pIV in 4.1% of patients. The concordance rate between clinical and pathological stages was 44.9%, and the upstaging rate was 49.0%. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 67.8%. No significant difference in OS was found between stages pI and pII. However, the OS for stages pIII/IV was significantly worse than for stages pI/II (p<0.001). Conclusion: In clinical stage I-IIA SCLC, approximately half of the patients were pathologically upstaged, and OS was favorable after upfront surgery, particularly in pI/II patients. The poor prognosis of pIII/IV patients indicates the necessity of intensive preoperative pathologic mediastinal staging.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.536-542
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• 1999

Background: The purpose of this study is to improve the quality of the diagnostic procedures in the preoperative evaluation so as to reduce the unnecessary thoracotomy and to ensure resectability in non-small cell lung cancer. Material and Method: Of 616 patients who underwent thoracotomy for primary lung cancer from January 1990 to December 1996, 59 patients(9.6%) turned out to have inoperable lesions after the thoracotomy. We reprospectively reviewed the bronchoscopic findings, methods of tissue diagnosis, CT scans, pulmonary function test and lung perfusion scan, reasons for nonresectability, and adjuvant therapy, and then followed up on the survival rate after exploratory thoracotomy. Result: The cell types were squamous cell carcinoma in 38, adenocarcinoma in 15, large cell carcinoma in 3 and others in 3. Primary loci were RUL in 20, RML in 6, RLL in 8, LUL in 13, LLL in 4 and others in 8. The reasons for non-resectability were various; direct tumor invaison to mediastinal structures(n=41), seeding on pleural cavity(n=8), poor pulmonary function(n=2), invasions to extranodal mediastinal lymph node(n=2), technical non- resectability due to extensive chest wall invasion (n=3), small cell carcinoma (n=1), malignant lymphoma(n=1), and multiple rib metastases(n=1). In the follow-up of 58 patients, 1-year survival rate was 55.2% and 2-year survival rate was 17.2% and the mean survival time was 14 months. When compared according to cell types or postoperative adjuvant therapeutic modalities, no significant difference in the survival rates were found. The squamous cell carcinoma was frequently accompanied by local extension to contiguous structures and was the main cause of non-resectability. In adenocarcinoma, pleural seeding with malignant effusion was frequently encountered, and was the major reason for non-resectability. Conclusion: These data revealed that if appropriate preoperative diagnostic tools had been available, many unnecessary thoracotomies could have been avoided. Both the use of thoracoscopy in selected cases of adenocarcinoma and the more aggressive surgical approach to the locally advanced tumor could reduce the incidence of unnecessary thoracotomies for non-small cell lung cancers.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.356-362
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• 2003

Background: Intralobar and extralobar pulmonary sequestrations have been considered as congenital lesions that occur at different stages of embryonic life. However, most cases of intralobar pulmonary sequestration (IPS) seem to have an acquired origin, as they are absent in infants and associated anomalies are relatively, uncommon among them. Material and Method: The cases of 25 patients who were diagnosed as IPS after surgical resection from December, 1985 to July, 2002 were included in this study. The medical records wire retrospectively reviewed and the clinical characteristics were age at operation; gender; symptoms at presentation; presence of congenital anomalies; combined diseases; preoperative studies and diagnosis; location of the lesion; method of surgical resection; origin, size and numbers of aberrant artery; histopathological findings; and postoperative complications. Result: There were 17 (68%) female patients and 8 (32%) male patients, their ages ranged from 1 to 57 and mean value was 23 years old. Though 14 patients (56%) complained of respiratory symptoms such as pneumonia and recurrent respiratory infections, a large number of patients (44%) were asymptomatic or had chest pain only when the lesion was discovered. Only 8 patients (32%) were diagnosed as pulmonary sequestration preoperatively and 8 (32%) were suspected as mediastinal or lung tumor, 5 (20%) were congenital or acquired cystic lung disease, and 4 (16%) were lung abscess or bronchiectasis, respectively. The majority of aberrant arteries (86.4%) confirmed during the operation were originated from thoracic aorta and 2 were thoracic and abdominal aorta, 1 was abdominal aorta, respectively. The younger patients (less than 10 years old) had more other congenital anomalies (30% vs 6.7%) but the proportion of congenital IPS was not significantly different (10% vs 6.7%, p>0.05) compared with elder patients. Histopathologically, almost all lesions showed chronic inflammation, cystic changes and similar pleural adhesions regardless of age. Conclusion: The large portion of the patients with IPS (44%) was clinically asymptomatic or presented non-respiratory symptoms at diagnosis and likely to be diagnosed as mediastinal or lung tumor especially in elder patients. Though the younger patients had more other congenital anomalies, most cases of IPS proved to be acquired lesions in terms of the histopathlogical findings and the proportion of congenital evidences.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 1993

Background: Accurate staging of bronchogenic carcinoma is important in determining resectability and metastasis of tumor to the subcarinal nodes is generally believed to indicate poor prognosis. The technique of Transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) has offered a safe & effective way to asscess mediastinal lymph node involvement in the staging of lung cancer. We performed TBNA in patients who were suspected lung cancer to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the TBNA. Method: TBNA of the subcarinal lymph node was performed at the time of initial diagnostic bronchoscopy in 60 patients with suspected lung cancer, and 42 cases of histologically proved bronchogenic cancer were analized. Results: The frequency of adequate samples by transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) was 81% and the positive rate of malignant cells by TBNA was 14.7%. There were no differences in positive rates by tumor cell types. In patients with thickened carina on bronchoscopy, the TBNA was positive in 33.3% as compared to 5.3% of normal carina on bronchoscopy, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). In patients with enlarged subcarinal lymph node on chest CT, the positive rate of malignant cells (50.0%) was higher than that of normal sized subcarinal lymph node on chest CT (4.8%) (p<0.01). There were no specific complications in the TBNA procedure. Conclusion: TBNA is a relatively safe procedure and it offers the possibility of avoiding the cost and morbidity of surgical staging in patients especially whose carina is thickened on bronchoscopy and whose subcarinal LN was enlarged on chest CT.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.149-152
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• 1975

In spite of great advances in surgical treatment during past several decades, surgery of the trachea failed to develop correspondingly, partly because of relative rarity of the tracheal lesions and partly because of difficulties in surgical technique and anesthesia. Surgical diseases of the trachea are largely obstructions due to neoplasm or cicatrical stenosis and tracheal malacia. The present treatment of respiratory failure, using cuffed endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes, has produced, apparently with increasing frequency, tracheal stenosis, tracheomalized tracheal erosion. Surgery is presently the only reasonable way to treat stenotic lesions of the tracheobronchial tree. In the case of tumors, the current trend has been that of radical excision. Primary end-to--end reconstruction of the trachea has been generally recognized as the ideal method of repair following resection. However, for decades it was believed that a maximum of four tracheal rings only might be excised and primary healing achieved with safety. A great variety of procedures, developed by numerous investigations and directed at tracheal substitution, have almost invariably met with discouraging results. A meticulous study done by Grillo and associates on autopsy specimens has shown that an average 6.4cm of mediastinal trachea can be safely resected by full mobilization of the right lung and transplantation of the left main bronchus into the bronchus intermedius. Recently, we experienced a case of successful resection of a tumor of the tracheal carina and primary tracheo-left main bronchial anastomosis at the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, the National Medical Center in Seoul. The patient, a 29-year-old man, was admitted to the hospital with complaints of dyspnea and cough. On admission, chest film showed hydropneumothorax on the right. After closed thoracostomy, hydropneumothorax disappeared, but hazy densities, developed in the right middle and lower lung fields, resisted to treatment. Bronchoscopy uncovered irregular tumor covering the carina and the right main bronchus, and biopsy indicated well differentiated squamous Cell carcinoma. Operation was performed on July 2, 1975. A right postero-lateral thoracotomy was used. Excision involved the lower trachea, the carina, the left main bronchus and the right lung. This was followed by direct anastomosis between the trachea and the left main bronchus. Bronchography was done on 17th postoperative day revealed good result of operation without stricture at the site ofanastomosis. About one month after the operation symptoms and signs of bronchial irritation with dyspnea developed, and these responded to respiratory care. On 82nd postoperative day, sudden dyspnea developed at night and the patient expired several hours later. Autopsy was not done and the cause of death was uncertain.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.982-987
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• 1998

Background: Surgical resection is the standad therapy for the stage I lung cancer. We analysed the risk facturs of stage I lung cancer patent and tryed to establish more effective and aggressive treatment modality. Materials and methods: A detailed analysis was undertaken to evaluate the surgical results and to define the risk factors associated with the recurrence and the survival time in 146 consecutive patients with stage I lung cancer who were diagnosed, and resected at Yonsei Medical Center from January 1990 to December 1996. Results: There were 115 males and 31 females. Their ages ranged from 27 to 79 years(mean age:58.9$\pm$9.3 years). The histologic types were squamous carcinoma in 72 cases(49.3%) and adenocarcinoma in 45 cases(30.8%). A pulmonary resection and mediastinal lymph node dissection were done in all cases. A lobectomy was performed in 96 cases(65.7%) and a pneumonectomy in 48 cases(32.9%). There were 5 operative mortalities(3.4%) and complications occured in 24 cases(16.5%). The overall 5-year survival was 64.1%, and survival time did not depend on the type of operation or histologic type. Significant predictors of decreased survival were visceral pleural invasion(p=0.0079), T2 lesion(p=0.0462), and tumor size($\geq$5 cm) in adenocarcinoma(p=0.0472). The overall incidence of recurrence was 33.3%(47 cases; local or regional 6.4%, distant 26.9%). Almost all recurrences(44cases) occurred in T2 lesions. The distant organs that failed were the contralateral lung in 13 patients, the brain in 12, the bone in 10, and other organs in 3. Conclusions: even in stage I lung cancer, we suggest that postoperative adjuvant therapy is recommended in patients with poor prognostic factors such as visceral pleural invasion, T2 lesions, and a tumor size($\geq$5 cm) in the adenocarcinoma.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6287-6292
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• 2013

Background: Surgery is the only curative treatment for operable non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) and the importance of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage IB patients is unclear. Herein, we evaluated prognostic factors for survival and factors related with adjuvant treatment decisions for stage I and IIA NSCLC patients without lymph node metastasis. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 302 patients who had undergone curative surgery for prognostic factors regarding survival and clinicopathological factors related to adjuvant chemotherapy. Results: Nearly 90% of the patients underwent lobectomy or pneumonectomy with mediastinal lymph node resection. For the others, wedge resection were performed. The patients were diagnosed as stage IA in 35%, IB in 49% and IIA in 17%. Histopathological type (p=0.02), tumor diameter (p=0.01) and stage (p<0.001) were found to be related to adjuvant chemotherapy decisions, while operation type, lypmhovascular invasion (LVI), grade and the presence of recurrence were important factors in predicting overall survival (OS), and operation type, tumor size greater than 4 cm, T stage, LVI, and visceral pleural invasion were related with disease free survival (DFS). Multivariate analysis showed operation type (p<0.001, hazard ratio (HR):1.91) and the presence of recurrence (p<0.001, HR:0.007) were independent prognostic factors for OS, as well visceral pleural invasion (p=0.01, HR:0.57) and LVI (p=0.004, HR:0.57) for DFS. Conclusions: Although adjuvant chemotherapy is standard for early stage lymph node positive NSCLC, it has less clear importance in stage I and IIA patients without lymph node metastasis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2000

Purpose :We peformed the retrospective analysis to find the outcome of external beam radiotherapy alone in advanced esophageal cancer patients. Methods and Materials : One hundred and six Patients treated with external beam radiotherapy alone between July 1990 and December 1996 were analyzed retrospectively. We limited the site of the lesions to the thoracic esophagus and cell type to the squamous cell carcinoma. Follow-up was completed in 100 patients (94$\%$) and ranged from 1 month to 92 months (median; 6 months). Results :The median age was 62 years old and male to female ratio was 104 2. Fifty-three percent was the middle thorax lesion and curative radiotherapy was peformed in 83$\%$. Mean tumor dose delivered with curative aim was 58.6 Gy (55$\~$70.8 Gy) and median duration of the radiation therapy was 53 days. The median survival of all patients was 6 months and )-year and 2-year overall survival rate was 27$\%$ and 12$\%$, respectively, Improvement of dysphagia was obtained in most patients except for 7 patients who underwent feeding gastrostomy. The complete response rate immediately after radiation therapy was 32$\%$ (34/106). The median survival and 2-year survival rate of the complete responder was 14 months and 30$\%$ respectively, while those of the nonresponder was 4 months and 0$\%$ respectively (p=0.000). The median survival and 2-year survival rate of the patients who could tolerate regular diet was 9 months and 16$\%$ while those of the patients who could not tolerate regular diet was 3 months and 0$\%$, respectively (p=0.004). The survival difference between the patients with S cm or less tumor length and those with more than 5 cm tumor length was marginally statistically significant (u=0,06). However, the survival difference according to the periesophageal invasion or mediastinal tyrnphadenopathy in the chest CT imaging study was not statistically significant in this study. In a multivariate analysis, the statistically significant covariates to the survival were complete response to radiotherapy, tumor length, and initial degree of dysphagia in a decreasing order. The complication was observed in 10 patients (9$\%$). Conclusion :The survival outcome for advanced esophageal cancer patients treated by external beam radiotherapy alone was very poor. In the treatment of these patients, the brachytherapy and chemotherapy should be added to improve the treatment outcome.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 2009

Background: Mediastinal neurogenic tumors are generally benign lesions and they are ideal candidates for performing resection via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). However, benign neurogenic tumors at the thoracic apex present technical problems for the surgeon because of the limited exposure of the neurovascular structures, and the optimal way to surgically access these tumors is still a matter of debate. This study aims to clarify the feasibility and safety of the VATS approach for performing surgical resection of benign apical neurogenic tumors (ANT). Material and Method: From January 1996 to September 2008, 31 patients with benign ANT (15 males/16 females, mean age: 45 years, range: 8~73), were operated on by various surgical methods: 14 VATS, 10 lateral thoracotomies, 6 cervical or cervicothoracic incisions and 1 median sternotomy. 3 patients had associated von Recklinhausen's disease. The perioperative variables and complications were retrospectively reviewed according to the surgical approaches, and the surgical results of VATS were compared with those of the other invasive surgeries. Result: In the VATS group, the histologic diagnosis was schwannoma in 9 cases, neurofibroma in 4 cases and ganglioneuroma in 1 case, and the median tumor size was 4.3 cm (range: 1.2~7.0 cm). The operation time, amount of chest tube drainage and the postoperative stay in the VATS group were significantly less than that in the other invasive surgical group (p<0.05). No conversion thoracotomy was required. There were 2 cases of Hornor's syndrome and 2 brachial plexus neuropathies in the VATS group; there was 1 case of Honor's syndrome, 1 brachial plexus neuropathy, 1 vocal cord palsy and 2 non-neurologic complications in the invasive surgical group, and all the complications developed postoperatively. The operative method was an independent predictor for postoperative neuropathies in the VATS group (that is, non-enucleation of the tumor) (p=0.029). Conclusion: The VATS approach for treating benign ANT is a less invasive, safe and feasible method. Enucleation of the tumor during the VATS procedure may be an important technique to decrease the postoperative neurological complications.