• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 1994

Total 55 patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer treated with radiation therapy at Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yeungnam University Hospital, between May-1 1986 and April-30 1993 were retrospectively analyzed by clinical characteristics, failure patterns, follow up duration and survival ratio according to prognostic factors. Obtained results were as follows : 1. Male to female ratio was 17.3 2. Sixth and seventh decades were predominant age group. 3. The patients were 8 in stage I-II, 34 in stage IIIA, 13 in stage IIIb, respectively. 4. Forty five patients out of 55 were squamous cell carcinoma. 5. Primary tumor were originated from upper lobe bronchi predominantly. 6. The size of the primary tumor, lymph node involvement and the degree of differentiation were important in evaluation of prognosis. 7. In conclusion, for patients with poor prognostic factors systemic chemotherapy and multidisciplinary approach were recommended for better treatment outcome and improvement of survival.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2015

Background: There have been various results from studies concerning the predictors of recurrence in early-stage nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, an accurate assessment is needed to guide effective adjuvant therapy. We investigated the predictors of a recurrence in patients with resected, early-stage NSCLC and the risk factors associated with locoregional or distant recurrence. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on patients at the Pusan National University Hospital from January 2006 to December 2011. Patients with pathological stages I or II were included in this study, as based on the seventh edition TNM staging system. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify factors associated with recurrence. Results: Two hundred and forty-nine patients were included. Among them, 180 patients were stage I, and 69 were stage II. Overall, by multivariate analysis, the independent factors associated with a 5-year total recurrence were the presence of visceral pleural invasion (VPI) (p=0.018) and maximal standardized uptake values (SUVs) of tumors on positron emission tomography (PET) >4.5 (p=0.037). The VPI was the only independent risk factor associated with both locoregional and distant recurrence, in the analysis of the patterns of tumor recurrence and their risk factors. In the subgroup analysis of stage I patients, three variables (male, VPI and resection margin positive) were significantly associated with a 5-year recurrence. Conclusion: The independent factors associated with postoperative recurrence in early-stage NSCLC were as follows: PET SUV >4.5 and the presence of VPI. For patients with those factors adjuvant therapy should be recommended as a more efficacious treatment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.473-479
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• 2005

Background : Gefitinib targets the epidermal growth factor receptor r(EGFR), and Gefitinib has antitumor activity in patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, only 10 to 20 percent of patients show a clinical response to this drug, and the molecular mechanisms underlying patient sensitivity to gefitinib are unknown. PTEN (Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome Ten) plays a role for the modulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway (PI3K), which is involved in cell proliferation and survival, so that it can inhibit cell cycle progression and induce G1 arrest. Therefore, we analyzed the relationship between PTEN expression and gefitinib's responsiveness in patients having advanced non small cell lung cancer that had progressed after previous chemotherapy. Methods : The expression of PTEN was studied by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded tumor blocks that were obtained from 22 patients who had been treated with gefitinib from JAN, 2001 to AUG. 2004. For the evaluation of the relationships between the PTEN expression, the clinical stage and the basal characteristics, those cases that showed the respective antigen expression in >50% of the tumor cells were considered positive. Results : The positive rate of PTEN staining was 55% of the total of 22 patients. There was a significant relationship between the increased expression of PTEN and the response group (p=0.039). However, there was no significant relationship between the expression of PTEN and other clinicopathologic characteristics. Conclusion: The expression of PTEN in patients with advanced non small cell lung cancer that has progressed after previous chemotherapy may play a role in gefitinib's responsiveness.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.646-656
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• 2004

Background : The aim of this study was to elucidate the mediastinal lymphatic drainage of nonsmall- cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods : We retrospectively analyzed the frequency of enlarged mediastinal lymph node (LN) in 256 NSCLC patients with N2 or N3 diseases on CT scan, especially with respect to the location of primary tumor. Results : In 57 patients with right upper lobe (RUL) tumors, right lower paratracheal LN (89.5%) was the most commonly enlarged, followed by subcarinal LN (54.4%). In 61 patients with left upper lobe (LUL) tumors, left lower paratracheal (70.5%) and subaortic LNs (52.5%) were commonly enlarged. Subcarinal LN enlargement without ipsilateral superior mediastinal LN enlargement was rarely found in both upper lobe tumors; RUL 8.8%, LUL 6.6%. In patients with right or left lower lobe (RLL or LLL) tumors, the most commonly enlarged LN was subcarinal; 88.2%, 65.7%, respectively. In RLL tumors with both subcarinal and superior mediastinal LN enlargements, the frequency of ipsilateral superior mediastinal LN involvement was similar to that of bilateral superior mediastinal involvement. In LLL tumors with both subcarinal and superior mediastinal LN enlargements, bilateral superior mediastinal involvement was more frequent than ipsilateral superior mediastinal involvement. Conclusion : The results of this study suggest that both upper lobe tumors are mainly drained directly to ipsilateral superior mediastinal LNs, and that both lower lobe lesions are drained to superior mediastinal LN via subcarinal LNs.