• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6883-6888
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• 2013

Background: Platinum based concurrent chemo-radiation is the de-facto standard of care in the non-surgical management of locally-advanced head and neck cancer of squamous origin. Three-weekly single agent cisplatin at 100 $mg/m^2$ concurrent with radical radiotherapy has demonstrated consistent improvement in loco-regional control and survival. This improvement is however at the cost of considerable hematologic toxicity and poor overall compliance. The routine use of this regime is improbable in developing countries with limited resources. We therefore aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of an alternative regime of weekly cisplatin and concurrent radiotherapy in such patients. Materials and Methods: January-05 and April-12, 188 patients of locally-advanced head and neck cancer of squamous origin were treated with concurrent weekly-cisplatin at $35mg/m^2$ and conventional radiotherapy 60-66Gy/30-33 fractions/5days per week. Results: Overall, 95% patients received planned doses of RT while 74% completed within the stipulated overall treatment time of <50 days. Eighty-two percent received at-least 5 weekly cycles. Grade-III/IV mucositis was seen in 58%/9% respectively, which resulted in mean weight loss of 9.2% from a pre-treatment mean of 54.5 kg. Grade-III hematologic toxicity-0.5%; grade II nephrotoxicity-2.5% and grade III emesis-3% were also seen. Grade-III/IV subcutaneous toxicity-10%/1% and grade-III/IV xerostomia-10%/0% were observed. Complete responses at the primary site, regional nodes and overall disease were seen in 86%, 89% and 83% patients respectively. The median and 5-years disease-free survival were 26 months and 39.4% respectively, while the median and overall survival were 27 months and 41.8% respectively. Conclusions: Weekly-cisplatin at 35 $mg/m^2$ when delivered concurrently with conventional radical RT (at-least 66y/33 fractions) in locally-advanced head and neck cancer is well tolerated with minimal hematologic and neprologic toxicity and can be routinely delivered on an out-patient basis. It is an effective alternative to the standard 3-weekly cisplatin especially in the context of developing countries.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10899-10903
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• 2015

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the benefits of 18F-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FGD-PET/CT) imaging for staging and radiotherapy planning in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing definitive radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven head and neck cancer patients who had undergone definitive radiotherapy and PET/CT at the Uludag University Medical Faculty Department of Radiation Oncology were investigated in order to determine the role of PET/CT in staging and radiotherapy planning. Results: The median age of this patient group of 32 males and 5 females was 57 years (13-84years). The stage remained the same in 18 cases, decreased in 5 cases and increased in 14 cases with PET/CT imaging. Total gross tumor volume (GTV) determined by CT (GTVCT-Total) was increased in 32 cases (86.5%) when compared to total GTV determined by PET/CT (GTVPET/CT-Total). The GTV of the primary tumor determined by PET/CT (GTVPET/CT) was larger in 3 cases and smaller in 34 cases compared to that determined by CT (GTVCT). The GTV of lymph nodes determined by PET/CT (GTVLNPET/CT) was larger in 20 cases (54%) and smaller in 12 cases (32.5%) when compared to GTV values determined by CT (GTVLNCT). No pathological lymph nodes were observed in the remaining five cases with both CT and PET/CT. Conclusions: We can conclude that PET/CT can significantly affect both pretreatment staging and assessed target tumor volume in patients with head and neck cancer. We therefore recommend examining such cases with PEC/CT before treatment.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2011

Background and Objectives : Papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) frequently metastasize to the regional neck, however, lateral neck lymph node metastasis is less common. The aim of this study is to investigate clinical and immunohistochemical features of PTC with lateral LN metastasis, and determine the predictive factors for lateral LN metastases. Material and Methods : We undertook a retrospective study of 83 patients treated between January 2007 and December 2009 for PTC by thyroidectomy with or without lateral neck dissection. The following criteria were used to study the clinical predictive value of lateral LN. metastases : sex, age, tumor size, multifocality, extracapsular spread(ECS) and lymphovascular emboli. Immunohistochemical staining for VEGF-A, VEGF-C, Bax, Bcl-2, Cyclin D1, Cyclin E, $p27^{kip1}$ and $p57^{kip2}$ was performed, and quantified blindly by three pathologists who had no clinical information of the patients. Immunohistochemical expression was scored as high(>50% of cells stained) or low(0-49%). Results : With use of univariate and multivariate analysis, tumor size(>2cm) and ECS were independent correlates of lateral LN metastasis in PTC. Expression of VEGF-C, Bax, and Cyclin D1 in the PTC with lateral LN metastasis was scored higher than in PTC without lateral LN metastasis(p<0.05). Conclusion : The important risk factors for lateral LN metastasis in PTC are primary tumor size and the presence of ECS. And expression of VEGF-C, Bax and cyclin D1 may be considered of lateral LN metastatic potential in PTC.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2011

Purpose : Concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT) with 3 weekly cisplatin is the standard treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer(HNC). The aim is to evaluate the efficacy and toxicities of low-dose weekly cisplatin-based CCRT, which was devised to reduce the toxicity of CCRT. Method : We retrospectively analyzed HNC patients who received low-dose weekly cisplatin-based CCRT between 2008 and 2010. Cisplatin 35mg/$m^2$ was weekly given to all patients during radiotherapy. The efficacy was evaluated by the degree of clinical response, treatment failure and survival. The toxicity was evaluated by hematologic toxicities and oral mucositis. Results : A total of 27 patients were analyzed and median age was 59(range 31-81). The ratio of administered dose of radiotherapy and cisplatin to planned dose were 0.98 and 0.93, respectively. Complete remission and partial remission were 73% and 23%, respectively. Treatment failure was observed in 8(30%) patients. 1-year survival rate and 1-year disease free survival rate were 82% and 59%, respectively. Overall survival and progression-free survival did not reach median time. Grade 3/4 anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and oral mucositis were observed in 11%, 19%, 7% and 32% of patients, respectively. In terms of administered cycles, however, only 1-3% of grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities occurred among total 190 cycles. Severe oral mucositis were statistically associated with old age(p=0.003). Treatment failure had no statistical relation with age, pathology, primary site and stage. Conclusion : Low-dose weekly cisplatin-based CCRT seemed to deliver enough dose of cisplatin and to show low drop-out rate and good efficacy with low hematologic toxicities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 2010

Backgrounds and Objects: Carcinoma of the tongue is the most common cancer of the oral cavity. A primary treatment strategy includes surgery and/or radiotherapy. Resection of the tongue often results in speech dysfunction, which depends on the site and extent of resection, type of reconstruction, and the mobility of remaining tongue. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of articulation errors that were resulted from the partial glossectomy without free flap reconstruction. Materials & Method : Articulation evaluations including speech intelligibility and percent of correct consonants (PCC) were performed for 24 patients who underwent partial glossectomy for their T1 or T2 tongue cancer. Mobility of the tongue, size of the resected tongue, and the history of adjuvant radiotherapy were analyzed for their relationship with the results of articulation evaluation. Results: Speech intelligibility score was $6.4{\pm}0.9$ (on 7-point scale) and overall PCC was 96.9%. There were close relationships between the size of resection and limitations in the tongue mobility, especially in "protrusion and elevation (r=-0.687)" and "retroflexion (r=-0.775)". Errors in "alveolar fricatives" and "palatal affricates" were also closely related with the size of resection (r=-0.537 and -0.538, respectively). PCC for "liquid sound" /r/ was 83.2%, which was closely related with the history of radiation therapy. Conclusion : Overall articulatory function was satisfactory in cases of early tongue cancer after partial glossectomy of a limited volume without flap reconstruction. However, the size of resection and the history of radiation therapy were closely related to the limitations in some types of tongue mobility and the resultant articulation errors.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.835-841
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• 2007

The followings are concluded from the treatment of headache in Hyungsang medicine, focussed on 11 kinds of headaches in Donguibogam. Headache is classified into overall headache and migraine according to the affected region. The causes are divided into exogenous affection and internal injury; The former brings on headache due to Wind-Cold and headache due to Damp-Heat. The latter, reversal headache, headache due to adverse rising of phlegm, headache due to regurgitation of Gi, headache due to excessive Heat, headache due to excessive Damp, true headache, and alcoholic headache. Headache due to internal injury generally tends to show deficiency syndrome with external affection. Headache due to exogenous affections is common to those who have big head or white skin and to Bangkwang type, and woman. The primary causes are Wind-Cold and Wind-Heat. When the body is observed in the perspective of eight phases, Damp-Heat is to be produced in the front, and Dry-Damp, in the back. Headache due to Damp-Heat is susceptible to Yangmyeong meridian type whose body develops more in the front and to woman. In the perspective of the upper and the lower, Yangdu(that is, head) is related to Eumdu(that is, glans of penis). Headache is also caused by the problems of Eumdu ,such as deficiency of Essence in man, pathologic change of uterus in women, and San syndrome in lower abdomen. In the case of man, headache is frequently severe and difficult to treat because head is a root for man. Disharmony of Gi and blood between the right and the left brings out migraine and headache due to regurgitation of Gi. Migraine is usually accompanied by symptoms of exogenous affection and often afflicts Gi-type, Shin-type, Soyang meridian type, deer type, and Dam-type. Headache due to regurgitation of Gi is brought by Gi deficiency or blood deficiency so that symptoms of exogenous affection do not show. It is mainly common with old people and those who have sunken eyes induced by deficiency of stomach Gi. In the perspective of the upper, the middle, and the lower, the pathologic change of head, chest and abdomen also bring about headache. The pathologic cause of head is Wind-Heat ,which triggers overall headache, migraine, headache due to Wind-Cold, headache due to excessive Heat, The pathogen of chest is phlegm-Fire and brings out headache due to Damp-Heat and headache due to adverse rising of phlegm. The pathologic factor in abdomen is Cold-Damp and produces headache due to adverse rising of phlegm and headache due to excessive Damp. In case of women, headache is generally caused by phlegm-Fire and retention of undigested food.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.303-308
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• 2002

Purpose : To determine the optimal radiation dose in a localized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck in the treatment setting for combined chemoradiotherapy. Materials an Methods :Fifty-three patients with stage I and II diffuse large ceil non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck, who were treated with combined chemoradiotherapy between 1985 and 1998 were retrospectively reviewed. The median age was 49 years, and the male-to-female ratio was approximately 1.6. Twenty-seven patients had stage 1 disease and 26 had stage II. Twenty-three patients had bulky tumors $(\geq5\;cm)$ and 30 had non-bulky tumors (<5 cm). The primary tumors arose mainly from an extranodal organ $(70\%)$, most cases involving Waldeyer's ring $(90\%)$. All patients except one were initially treated with $3\~6$ cycles of chemotherapy, which was followed by radiotherapy. Radiation was delivered either to the primary tumor area alone $(9\%)$ or to the primary tumor area plus the bilateral neck nodes $(91\%)$ with a minimum dose of 30 Gy $(range\;30\~60\;Gy)$. The failure patterns according to the radiation field were analyzed, and the relationship between the dose and the in-field recurrence was evaluated. Results : The 10-year overall survival and the 10-year disease free survival rates were similar at $75\%\;and\;76\%$, respectively. A complete response (CR) after chemotherapy was achieved in 44 patients $(83\%)$. Subsequent radiotherapy showed a CR in all patients. Twelve patients $(23\%)$ had a relapse of the lymphoma after the initial treatment. Two of these patients had a recurrence inside the radiation field. No clear dose response relationship was observed and no significant prognostic factors for the in-field recurrences were identified because of the small number of in-field recurrences. However, for patients with tumors <5 cm in diameter, there were no in-field recurrences after a radiation dose 30 Gy. The 2 in-field recurrences encountered occurred in patients with a tumor $\geq5\;cm$. Conclusion .A dose of 30 Gy is sufficient for local control in patients with a non-bulky (<5 cm), localized, diffuse large cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma when combined with chemotherapy. An additional boost dose in the primary site is recommended for patients with bulky tumors $(\geq5\;cm)$.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.391-395
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• 2000

Malignant tumors of the maxilla represent about 3-4% of head and neck malignant neoplasm and the origins are maxillary gingiva, hard palate and maxillary sinus. We are to investigate clinical features and results according to various treatment modalities of maxillary malignant tumor to get information for better treatment results. Sixty patients with malignant maxillary tumors treated at Yonsei medical center from 1992 to 1997 were studied retrospectively. They are evaluated according to clinical signs & symptoms, stages at first diagnosis, primary site, histopathologic features, treatment method, recurrence and survival rate with clinical records, biopsy results and CT radiograph. The most common primary site was maxillary sinus and most common histopathology was squamous cell carcinoma. The local recurrence rate was 18% at 5 years, neck failure was 3% and distant metastasis was 18%. Overall survival rate was 78% at 2 years and 69% at 5 years. Failure at primary site is the main problem in the curative treatment. So, to improve survival in these patients efforts should be directed toward improvement of local control.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3327-3330
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• 2014

Background: The purpose of the study was to analyse the clinicopathological spectrum of benign and malignant odontogenic tumours (OT) in Pakistan. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was carried out at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) Rawalpindi. Seven years archival records of histologically diagnosed odontogenic tumours, both benign and malignant, were collected and the lesions re-diagnosed histologically in accordance with the WHO classification of head and neck tumours (2005). Clinical as well as histological data were analysed and frequency of each type of OT was calculated using computer software programme SPSS (version 17). Mean tumour size was calculated and Chi-square test was applied to find associations of age, gender and site with each histological type of tumour. Results: Only 1.7% of the odontogenic tumours diagnosed in this said period were malignant while the remaining 98.3% were benign. Amongst benign lesions, ameloblastoma was the most common (61.3%) type while primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma (1.7%) was the only reported malignant tumour. Mean age of the affected patients was $31.7{\pm}16.7$ years with posterior mandible as the commonest site involved. Conclusions: Our study revealed ameloblastoma and primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma as the commonest diagnosed benign and malignant tumours respectively. There was a significant difference in age and site of origin of different types of OT at the time of their presentation. However, all the tumours showed male predominance.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.41-50
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• 2000

The alar base on the cleft side in unilateral complete cleft lip, alveolus and palate is markedly displaced laterally, caudally and dorsally, By incising the pyriform margin from the cleft margin of the alveolar process, including mucosa of the anterior part of the inferior turbinate, to the upper end of the postnasal vestibular fold, the alar base is released from the maxilla, A physiological correction of nasal deformity can be accomplished by careful reconstruction of nasolabial muscle integrity, functional repair of the orbicular muscle, raising and rotating the displaced alar cartilage, and finally by lining the lateral nasal vestibule, The inferior maxillary head of the nasal muscle complex is identified as the deeper muscle just below the web of the nostril, The muscle is repositioned inframedially, so that it is sutured to the periosteum that overlies the facial aspect of the premaxilla in the region of the developing lateral incisor tooth, And then, the deep superior part of the orbicular muscle is sutured to the periosteum and the fibrous tissue at the base of the septum, just in front of the anterior nasal spine, The nasal floor is surgically created by insertions of the nasal muscle complex in deep plane and of the orbicular muscle in superficial one, The upper part of the lateral nasal vestibular defect is sutured by shifting the alar flap cephalically, The middle and lower parts of this defect are closed by use of cleft margin flaps of the philtral and lateral segments, respectively, Authors stress the importance of nasal floor reconstruction at primary surgery and report the technique and postoperative results.