• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.294-301
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• 2021

Recent case series and meta-analyses have suggested that robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) could be a useful alternative to video-assisted thoracic surgery esophagectomy. The advantages of RAMIE are a 3-dimensional view, 7 degrees of freedom, and tremor filtering, which enable more meticulous lymph node dissection with a lower incidence of complications. However, in radical esophagectomy, understanding the concepts of the fascia and compartment is crucial for successful and reliable dissection. The first RAMIE in Korea was performed by our team in July 2006, and since then, we have developed related techniques to achieve better short- and long-term outcomes. The key step in RAMIE for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is dissection of the upper mediastinum due to the difficulty of lymph node dissection and the high incidence of nodal metastasis in the area. Herein, we describe the technique of fascial plane dissection with esophageal suspension during RAMIE.

• Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
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• v.67
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• pp.312-315
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• 2018

Although the reversibility of 10,12-pentacosadiynoic amino meta-acid(PCDA-mBzA) against temperature and pH was reported, the modulation of reversibility by ion adsorption at terminal functional group has not been investigated. In this work, we developed a simple method for modulating the reversibility of PCDA-mBzA films upon a thermal stimulus by cadmium ion adsorption inducing the breakage of the outer hydrogen bonding of two hydrogen bonds, which are responsible for the reversible properties of PCDA-mBzA. External reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ER-FTIR) analyses revealed that the hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid groups was broken through ion adsorption and only a single hydrogen bond between the amide groups remained in the PCDA-mBzA polymer. In addition, PCDA-mBzA films could recover their original property through cadmium ion desorption. These results present that the transition between reversibility and irreversibility can be modulated artificially simply through the adsorption and desorption of metal ions.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.86 no.3
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• pp.151-157
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• 2023

The introduction of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for the management of asthma has led to a decrease in acute exacerbation of asthma. However, there are concerns regarding the safety of long-term ICS use, particularly pneumonia. Growing evidence indicates that ICS use is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, whereas the risk in patients with asthma remains unclear. This review discusses the effect of ICS on pneumonia among patients with asthma to update the existing literature. Asthma is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this association, including that asthma impairs the clearance of bacteria owing to chronic inflammation. Therefore, controlling airway inflammation with ICS may prevent the occurrence of pneumonia in asthma. In addition, two meta-analyses investigating randomized control trials showed that ICS use was associated with a protective effect against pneumonia in asthma.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review is to explore end-of-life (EOL) care planning and the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) among people who identify as Black or African American. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) were used to guide and inform this systematic review process. The following academic electronic databases with publications that reflected the interdisciplinary fields related to the research objective were searched: APA PsycINFO, CINHAL, PubMed, Scopus, and Social Work Abstracts. Results: After the authors conducted the search, 14 articles (from 13 studies) ultimately met the criteria for inclusion. The results substantiated significant concerns highlighted in previous literature regarding SES and its relation to EOL planning, but also revealed an absence of original work and interventions to increase engagement in EOL planning among Black and African American populations. Conclusion: Black individuals deserve an equitable EOL experience. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers need to move towards advocacy and action to meet this important need.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2453-2459
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• 2013

Bevacizumab has been approved for use in combination with chemotherapy to treat many types of cancer but associated neutropenic events, including febrile neutropenia, have been reported. To estimate the incidence and relative risk of neutropenic events in cancer patients treated with bevacizumab combination therapy, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science literature databases, as well as abstracts presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conferences, to identify relevant studies published from January 1966 to December 2011. Studies that compared bevacizumab plus chemotherapy or biological therapy with chemotherapy or biological therapy alone, and that had adequate safety data profiles, were selected for analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted to calculate the summary incidence rates, relative risks (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using fixed- or random-effects models. A total of 22 clinical trials involving 15,056 patients were included in the analysis. The summary incidences of high-grade neutropenia (HGN) and high-grade febrile neutropenia (HGFN) in patients receiving bevacizumab was 27.3% (95% CI: 26.4%-28.3%) and 3.91% (95% CI: 3.51%-4.37%), respectively. The risks of HGN (RR=1.10; 95% CI: 1.02-1.19; P=0.02) and HGFN (RR=1.31; 95% CI: 1.08-1.59; P=0.005) were significantly increased in bevacizumab-treated patients, compared to those who did not receive bevacizumab. The RR of bevacizumab-associated HGN, but not HGFN, varied significantly with tumor types (P=0.005). The increased risk of bevacizumab-associated neutropenic events was dose-dependent, as the RR was greater at a dose of 5 mg/kg/week than at 2.5 mg/kg/week. Our findings suggest that bevacizumab addition to cancer therapy significantly increases the risk of serious neutropenic events, and this risk may be dose-dependent.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.71-82
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review was to overview and evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: Relevant randomized controlled studies (RCTs) were identified by database searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL, up to Dec 2013, and by additional hand searches. Data were extracted regarding anovulation, hyperandrogenism, obesity indices. Meta-analyses were separatedly conducted for the symptoms of PCOS. The risk of bias was assessed. Results: Three studies which were included for analysis, but they showed severly heterogeneity therefore meta-analysis could not be performed. Outcomes for evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for PCOS were anovulation index (menstrual frequency), hyperandrogenism index (free testosterone) and obesity index (body-mass index). For menstrual frequency, acupuncture treatment consistently suggested an interventional benefit. Although other outcomes did not suggest any enough relevant evidence to interventional benefit for acupuncture treatment. Conclusions: Acupuncture treatment appeared to improve menstrual frequency in PCOS patients. Since a limited number of RCTs were available in the current literature and those studies were also clinically heterogeneous, further research is needed to gather evidence to support acupuncture therapy in PCOS.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1937-1943
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• 2013

Altered expression or function of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) has been shown to be associated with cancer risk but assessment of gene polymorphisms has resulted in inconclusive data. Here a search of published data was made and 22 studies were recruited, covering 20,025 case and control subjects, for meta-analyses of the association of MnSOD polymorphisms with the risk of prostate, esophageal, and lung cancers. The data on 12 studies of prostate cancer (including 4,182 cases and 6,885 controls) showed a statistically significant association with the risk of development in co-dominant models and dominant models, but not in the recessive model. Subgroup analysis showed there was no statistically significant association of MnSOD polymorphisms with aggressive or nonaggressive prostate cancer in different genetic models. In addition, the data on four studies of esophageal cancer containing 620 cases and 909 controls showed a statistically significant association between MnSOD polymorphisms and risk in all comparison models. In contrast, the data on six studies of lung cancer with 3,375 cases and 4,050 controls showed that MnSOD polymorphisms were significantly associated with the decreased risk of lung cancer in the homozygote and dominant models, but not the heterozygote model. A subgroup analysis of the combination of MnSOD polymorphisms with tobacco smokers did not show any significant association with lung cancer risk, histological type, or clinical stage of lung cancer. The data from the current study indicated that the Ala allele MnSOD polymorphism is associated with increased risk of prostate and esophageal cancers, but with decreased risk of lung cancer. The underlying molecular mechanisms warrant further investigation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9093-9099
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• 2014

A growing body of evidence suggests that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene may harbor targets for the chemoprevention of breast cancer. However, it is unclear whether polymorphisms in the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene are associated with the susceptibility of breast cancer. We performed a candidate gene association study between $PPAR{\gamma}$ polymorphisms and breast cancer and a meta-analysis on the association of breast cancer with selected $PPAR{\gamma}$ variants. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene were analyzed among 456 breast cancer patients and 461 controls from the National Cancer Center in Korea. Association between the polymorphisms and breast cancer risk were assessed using the Cochrane-Armitage test for trend and a multivariate logistic regression model. Two SNPs, rs3856806 and rs1801282, had been previously analyzed, thus enabling us to perform pooled analyses on their associations with breast cancer susceptibility. Our findings from the candidate gene association study showed no association between the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk. A meta-analysis combining existing studies and our current study also refuted an association of the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene with breast cancer. Our findings suggest that the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene may not harbor variants that alter breast cancer susceptibility, although a moderate sample size might have precluded a decisive conclusion.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6681-6686
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• 2013

Background: Fatal adverse events (FAEs) have been reported with sorafenib, a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor kinase inhibitor (VEGFR TKI). We here performed an up-to-date and detailed meta-analysis to determine the overall risk of FAEs associated with sorafenib. Methods: Databases, including PubMed, Embase and Web of Science, and abstracts presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meetings were searched to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials evaluating sorafenib effects in patients with all malignancies. Summary incidence rates, relative risks (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for FAEs. In addition, subgroup analyses were performed according to tumor type and therapy regimen. Results: 13 trials recruiting 5,546 patients were included in our analysis. The overall incidence of FAEs with sorafenib was 1.99% (95%CI, 0.98-4.02%). Patients treated with sorafenib had a significantly increased risk of FAEs compared with patients treated with control medication, with an RR of 1.77 (95%CI 1.25-2.52, P=0.001). Risk varied with tumour type, but appeared independent of therapy regimen. A significantly increased risk of FAEs was observed in patients with lung cancer (RR 2.26; 95% CI 1.03-4.99; P= 0.043) and renal cancer (RR 1.84; 95% CI 1.15-2.94; P= 0.011). The most common causes of FAEs were hemorrhage (8.6%) and thrombus or embolism (4.9%). Conclusions: It is important for health care practitioners to be aware of the risks of FAEs associated with sorafenib, especially in patients with renal and lung cancer.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2016

Objective: To estimate the association between ABCG2 C421A polymorphism and response to imatinib in chronic myeloid leukemia. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the effect of ABCG2 C421A polymorphism on imatinib response. The databases of PubMed, Embase, Web of science, CINAHL with FullText, and Cochrane Library were searched for all published studies from inception to December 2015. The following terms were used with functions of 'AND' and 'OR': 'chronic myeloid leukemia', 'CML', 'drug transporter', 'ABCG2', 'BCRP', 'polymorphisms', 'SNPs', and 'imatinib'. The studies reporting the association between ABCG2 polymorphism and imatinib response were evaluated. Results: A total of 7 studies were included in the present meta-analysis. The pooled analysis showed that ABCG2 c.421CC genotype was significantly associated with poor response to imatinib under the dominant model (CC vs CA+AA; OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.77; p = 0.0004). The subgroup analysis of Asian studies demonstrated a significantly lower response in c.421CC genotype than in c.421CA or c.421AA genotype (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.73; p = 0.0002). In subgroup analyses of 5 studies, the patients with the c.421CC genotype exhibited higher risk for worse response than the patients with c.421CA or c.421AA genotype (heterozygote codominant model: CC vs. AC; OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.33, 0.73; p = 0.0006; homozygote codominant model: CC vs AA; OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.75, p = 0.003). Conclusion: The ABCG2 c.421CC genotype was significantly associated with poor response to imatinib compared to the c.421CA and c.421AA genotypes in chronic myeloid leukemia, especially in Asian patients.