• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3705-3709
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• 2013

Background: To investigate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to analyze any relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis. Materials and Methods: EGFR gene exons 18-21 in 48 specimens of paraffin-embedded tumor tissue from NSCLC patients were amplified by PCR, followed by direct sequencing and analysis of links to clinicopathological features and prognosis. Results: EGFR mutations were detected in 18 of 48 (42.6%) patients with NSCLC. There were 9 cases of mutations in exon 20, 7 in exon 19 and 2 in exon 21. Mutations were more frequently observed in women (5/7 pts, 71.4%) than in men (13/41 pts, 31.7%) (p=0.086) and in non-smokers (5/5 pts, 100%) than smokers (13/43 pts, 30.2%). There was negative correlation of EGFR mutations with smoking status (p=0.005). EGFR mutations were more frequently observed with adenocarcinoma histology (13/32 pts, 40.6%) than in other types (5/16 pts, 31.3%) (p=0.527). The patients with EGFR mutations had better survival than those with wild-type EGFR (p=0.08). There was no association of EGFR mutations with metastatic spread. Conclusions: EGFR mutations in NSCLC were here demonstrated more frequently in females, non-smokers and adenocarcinoma histology in the western region of Turkey. Patients with EGFR mutations have a better prognosis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.156-162
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topically applied recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) for the prevention of radiation-induced dermatitis in cancer patients. Materials and Methods: From December 2010 to April 2012, a total of 1,172 cancer patients who received radiotherapy (RT) of more than 50 Gy were prospectively enrolled and treated with EGF-based cream. An acute skin reaction classified according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 6-point rating scale was the primary end point and we also assessed the occurrence of edema, dry skin, or pruritus. Results: The percentage of radiation dermatitis with maximum grade 0 and grade 1 was 19% and 58% at the time of 50 Gy, and it became 29% and 47% after completion of planned RT. This increment was observed only in breast cancer patients (from 18%/62% to 32%/49%). Adverse events related to the EGF-based cream developed in 49 patients (4%) with mild erythema the most common. Skin toxicity grade >2 was observed in 5% of the patients. Edema, dry skin, and pruritus grade ${\geq}3$ developed in 9%, 9%, and 1% of the patients, respectively. Conclusion: Prophylactic use of an EGF-based cream is effective in preventing radiation dermatitis with tolerable toxicity. Further studies comparing EGF cream with other topical agents may be necessary.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 2017

Purpose: Although stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is widely used therapeutic technique, predictive factors of radiation pneumonitis (RP) after SABR remain undefined. We aimed to investigate the predictive factors affecting RP in patients with primary or metastatic lung tumors who received SABR. Materials and Methods: From 2012 to 2015, we reviewed 59 patients with 72 primary or metastatic lung tumors treated with SABR, and performed analyses of clinical and dosimetric variables related to symptomatic RP. SABR was delivered as 45-60 Gy in 3-4 fractions, which were over 100 Gy in BED when the ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ value was assumed to be 10. Tumor volume and other various dose volume factors were analyzed using median value as a cutoff value. RP was graded per the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.03. Results: At the median follow-up period of 11 months, symptomatic RP was observed in 13 lesions (12 patients, 18.1%), including grade 2 RP in 11 lesions and grade 3 in 2 lesions. Patients with planning target volume (PTV) of ${\leq}14.35mL$ had significantly lower rates of symptomatic RP when compared to others (8.6% vs. 27%; p = 0.048). Rates of symptomatic RP in patients with internal gross tumor volume (iGTV) >4.21 mL were higher than with ${\leq}4.21mL$ (29.7% vs. 6.1%; p = 0.017). Conclusions: The incidence of symptomatic RP following treatment with SABR was acceptable with grade 2 RP being observed in most patients. iGTV over 4.21 mL and PTV of over 14.35 mL were significant predictive factors related to symptomatic RP.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2013

Purpose: To describe the early experience of analyzing variations and time trends in bladder volume of the rectal cancer patients who received bladder ultrasound scan. Materials and Methods: We identified 20 consecutive rectal cancer patients who received whole pelvic radiotherapy (RT) and bladder ultrasound scan between February and April 2012. Before simulation and during the entire course of treatment, patients were scanned with portable automated ultrasonic bladder scanner, 5 times consecutively, and the median value was reported. Then a radiation oncologist contoured the bladder inner wall shown on simulation computed tomography (CT) and calculated its volume. Results: Before simulation, the median bladder volume measured using simulation CT and bladder ultrasound scan was 427 mL (range, 74 to 1,172 mL) and 417 mL (range, 147 to 1,245 mL), respectively. There was strong linear correlation (R = 0.93, p < 0.001) between the two results. During the course of treatment, there were wide variations in the bladder volume and every time, measurements were below the baseline with statistical significance (12/16). At 6 weeks after RT, the median volume was reduced by 59.3% to 175 mL. Compared to the baseline, bladder volume was reduced by 38% or 161 mL on average every week for 6 weeks. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this study is the first to prove that there are bladder volume variations and a reduction in bladder volume in rectal cancer patients. Moreover, our results will serve as the basis for implementation of bladder training to patients receiving RT with full bladder.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 1990

This is a retrospective analysis of 8 patients with olfactory neuroepithelioma treated by external radiation during 1981-1988. Their age ranged from 13 to 65 years. All of them were male patients. At the time of diagnosis, six patients were classified as Kadish stage C, two were stage B, and none of them were stage A. Six of eight patients treated by external irradiation, only one patient had complete surgical resection followed by postoperative irradiation. Another one patient received one course of induction chemotherapy followed by radical irradiation. Three patients developed local recurrences and five patients had distant metastasis. One patient with stage B disease who had complete surgical resection followed by postoperative irradiation was alived without evidence of disease. Seven of eight patients died of tumor, with a duration of survival ranging from 3 to 106 months.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2017

Purpose: To report the results of a correlation analysis of skin dose assessed by in vivo dosimetry and the incidence of acute toxicity. This is a phase 2 trial evaluating the feasibility of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) as a boost for breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Eligible patients were treated with IORT of 20 Gy followed by whole breast irradiation (WBI) of 46 Gy. A total of 55 patients with a minimum follow-up of 1 month after WBI were evaluated. Optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (OSLD) detected radiation dose delivered to the skin during IORT. Acute toxicity was recorded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0. Clinical parameters were correlated with seroma formation and maximum skin dose. Results: Median follow-up after IORT was 25.9 weeks (range, 12.7 to 50.3 weeks). Prior to WBI, only one patient developed acute toxicity. Following WBI, 30 patients experienced grade 1 skin toxicity and three patients had grade 2 skin toxicity. Skin dose during IORT exceeded 5 Gy in two patients: with grade 2 complications around the surgical scar in one patient who received 8.42 Gy. Breast volume on preoperative images (p = 0.001), ratio of applicator diameter and breast volume (p = 0.002), and distance between skin and tumor (p = 0.003) showed significant correlations with maximum skin dose. Conclusions: IORT as a boost was well-tolerated among Korean women without severe acute complication. In vivo dosimetry with OSLD can help ensure safe delivery of IORT as a boost.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2019

Purpose: The effectiveness of thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patients is increasingly reported, but there is no definite consensus on its application. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with better outcomes of TRT among patients with ES-SCLC, focusing on whether a higher TRT dose could improve treatment outcome. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 85 patients with ES-SCLC who received TRT between January 2008 and June 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Eligibility criteria were a biological effective dose with α/β = 10 (BED) higher than 30 Gy₁₀ and completion of planned radiotherapy. Results: During a median follow-up of 5.3 months, 68 patients (80.0%) experienced disease progression. In univariate analysis, a BED >50 Gy₁₀ was a significant prognostic factor for overall survival (OS; 40.8% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.006), progression-free survival (PFS; 15.9% vs. 9.6%, p = 0.004), and intrathoracic PFS (IT-PFS; 39.3% vs. 20.5%, p = 0.004) at 1 year. In multivariate analysis, a BED >50 Gy₁₀ remained a significant prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.502; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.287-0.876; p = 0.015), PFS (HR = 0.453; 95% CI, 0.265-0.773; p = 0.004), and IT-PFS (HR = 0.331; 95% CI, 0.171-0.641; p = 0.001). Response to the last chemotherapy was also associated with better OS in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusion: A TRT dose of BED >50 Gy₁₀ may be beneficial for patients with ES-SCLC. Further studies are needed to select patients who will most benefit from high-dose TRT.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.259-267
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• 1989

Forty one patients with para-aortic node metastases from carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated with radiotherapy at Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University, College of Medicine from January 1982 to December 1987 were retrospectively analyzed. Eleven patients were diagnosed at the time of diagnosis of carcinoma of the cervix (early diagnosis) and 30 patients were diagnosed during follow up period after definitive radiotherapy of primary site (late diagnosis). The most important factors affecting the survival in this study were time of diagnosis and dose of irradiation. Overall 5 year actuarial survival rate of 41 patients was $25.7\%$. Five year survival rate for early diagnosis was $60.3\%$, but late diagnosis was $16.9\%$. And survival rate for high dose (over 4000 cGy) radiation group and low dose radiation group were $42.2\%\;and\;8.9\%$ respectively The most leading cause of death was para-aortic node failure, so early diagnosis and maximum palliation with full dose radiotherapy (over 4000 cGy) is necessary to improve the survival and the quality of life.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.153-162
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• 2018

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes including progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), partial response, and complete response in patients who underwent radiation therapy (RT) for mycosis fungoides (MF). Also, we sought to find prognostic factors for clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: Total 19 patients confirmed with MF between 1999-2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical and treatment characteristics, clinical outcomes, and and toxicities were analyzed. Results: Eleven patients were treated with total skin electron beam radiotherapy (TSEBT) and 8 patients with involved field radiation therapy (IFRT) with median dose of 30 Gy, respectively. The median time interval from diagnosis to RT was 2.6 months (range, 0.4 to 87.3 months). The overall response rate was 100%; 11 patients (57.9%) had a complete response and 8 patients (42.1%) a partial response. The presence of positive lymph node at the time of consultation of RT was associated with lower OS (p = 0.043). In multivariate analysis, PFS was significantly lower for patients with increased previous therapies experienced following RT (p = 0.019) and for patients showing PR during RT (p = 0.044). There were no reported grade 3 or more skin toxicities related with RT. Conclusion: Both IFRT and TSEBT are effective treatment for MF patients. Patients with short disease course before RT or complete response during RT are expected to have longer PFS. Positive lymph node status at the initiation of RT was associated woth poor OS, suggesting other treatment modalities such as low-dose RT for patients with low life-expectancy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.183-188
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• 1990

Between January 197l and December 1987, 113 patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) were treated by radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy in the department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University Hospital. There were 19 patients under thirty years of age. The histology was undifferentiated carcinoma in $68\%$ of the younger patients as compared to $47\%$ of the older patients. Sex, stage, initial symptoms and treatment modalities differed little from those of older patients. In younger patients, the initial complete response rate was $79\%$ as compared to older patients with $54\%$, distant metastases were more common and the overall five year survival rate was not significantly different between the two age groups ($33.7\%$ for the young vs. $37.4\%$ for the old). The five year survival rates for stage III and IV were $60.0\%$ and $24.5\%$, respectively. Histologic subtype was not correlated with survival. The best survival was found only in patients who obtained a complete clearance of disease after radiation therapy.