• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.2815-2819
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• 2014

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognosis of patients with stage IA-IIB cervical carcinoma and to investigate a possible correlation of histology with prognosis. Materials and Methods: Two hundred fifty one patients with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) histology for FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage IA-IIB uterine cervical carcinomas at the Radiation Oncology Clinic of GH Okmeydan Training and Research Hospital between January 1996 and December 2006 were selected, analyzed retrospectively and evaluated in terms of general characteristics and survival. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and differences were compared with the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis using a Cox-proportional hazards model was used to adjust for prognostic factors and to estimate hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: There was no differences between the two tumour types in age, stage, pelvic nodal metastasis, parametrial invasion, surgical margin status, DSI, LVSI, maximal tumor diameter, grade, and treatment modalities. 5-year OS and DFS were 73% and 77%, versus 64% and 69%, for SCC and adenocarcinoma, respectively (p> 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed independent prognostic factors including pelvic nodal metastasis and resection margin status for OS (p=0.008, p=0.002, respectively). Conclusions: Prognosis of FIGO stage IA-IIB cervical cancer patients was found to be the same for those with adenocarcinoma and SCC.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.92-102
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• 2018

Purpose: This study investigated the validity of the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) as a predictor of periodontal disease (PD) over a 12-year period. Methods: Nationwide representative samples of 149,785 adults aged ${\geq}60$ years with PD (International Classification of Disease, 10th revision [ICD-10], K052-K056) were derived from the National Health Insurance Service-Elderly Cohort during 2002-2013. The degree of comorbidity was measured using the CCI (grade 0-6), including 17 diseases weighted on the basis of their association with mortality, and data were analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression in order to investigate the associations of comorbid diseases (CDs) with PD. Results: The multivariate Cox regression analysis with adjustment for sociodemographic factors (sex, age, household income, insurance status, residence area, and health status) and CDs (acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, cerebral vascular accident, dementia, pulmonary disease, connective tissue disorders, peptic ulcer, liver disease, diabetes, diabetes complications, paraplegia, renal disease, cancer, metastatic cancer, severe liver disease, and human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]) showed that the CCI in elderly comorbid participants was significantly and positively correlated with the presence of PD (grade 1: hazard ratio [HR], 1.11; P<0.001; grade ${\geq}2$: HR, 1.12, P<0.001). Conclusions: We demonstrated that a higher CCI was a significant predictor of greater risk for PD in the South Korean elderly population.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.161-166
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• 2016

Purpose: Lymph node (LN) metastasis is the best prognostic indicator in non-distant metastatic advanced gastric cancer. This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of various clinicopathologic factors in node-negative advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of 254 patients with primary node-negative stage T2~4 gastric cancer. These patients were selected from a pool of 1,890 patients who underwent radical resection at Memorial Jin-Pok Kim Korea Gastric Cancer Center, Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital between 1998 and 2008. Results: Of the 254 patients, 128 patients (50.4%), 88 patients (34.6%), 37 patients (14.6%), and 1 patient (0.4%) had T2, T3, T4a, and T4b tumors, respectively. In a univariate analysis, operation type, T-stage, venous invasion, tumor size, and less than 15 LNs significantly correlated with tumor recurrence and cumulative overall survival. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, tumor size, venous invasion, and less than 15 LNs significantly and independently correlated with recurrence. In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, tumor size (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.926; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.173~7.300; P=0.021), venous invasion (HR: 3.985; 95% CI: 1.401~11.338; P=0.010), and less than 15 LNs (HR: 0.092; 95% CI: 0.029~0.290; P<0.001) significantly correlated with overall survival. Conclusions: Node-negative gastric cancers recurred in 8.3% of the patients in our study. Tumor size, venous invasion, and less than 15 LNs reliably predicted recurrence as well as survival. Aggressive postoperative treatments and timely follow-ups should be considered in cases with these characteristics.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제51권2호
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• pp.71-82
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• 2018

Objectives: Areca nut is widely consumed in many parts of the world, especially in South and Southeast Asia, where cardiovascular disease (CVD) is also a huge burden. Among the forms of CVD, acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. Research has shown areca nut chewing to be associated with diabetes, hypertension, oropharyngeal and esophageal cancers, and CVD, but little is known about mortality and re-hospitalization secondary to ACS among areca nut users and non-users. Methods: A prospective cohort was studied to quantify the effect of areca nut chewing on patients with newly diagnosed ACS by categorizing the study population into exposed and non-exposed groups according to baseline chewing status. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations of areca nut chewing with the risk of re-hospitalization and 30-day mortality secondary to ACS. Results: Of the 384 ACS patients, 49.5% (n=190) were areca users. During 1-month of follow-up, 20.3% (n=78) deaths and 25.1% (n=96) re-hospitalizations occurred. A higher risk of re-hospitalization was found (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29 to 3.27; p=0.002) in areca users than in non-users. Moreover, patients with severe disease were at a significantly higher risk of 30-day mortality (aHR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.67 to 4.59; p<0.001) and re-hospitalization (aHR, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.73 to 4.26; p<0.001). Conclusions: The 30-day re-hospitalization rate among ACS patients was found to be significantly higher in areca users and individuals with severe disease. These findings suggest that screening for a history of areca nut chewing may help to identify patients at a high risk for re-hospitalization due to secondary events.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.2219-2224
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• 2012

Background: Circulating lymphocyte subsets reflect the immunological status and might therefore be a prognostic indicator in cancer patients. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical significance of circulating lymphocyte subset in gastric cancer (GC) cases. Methods: A retrospective study on a prevalent cohort of 846 GC patients hospitalized at Hospital from Aug 2006 to Jul 2010 was conducted. We calculated the patient's disease free survival (DFS) after first hospital admission, and hazard ratios (HR) from the Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Our findings indicated a significantly decreased percentage of CD3+, and CD8+ cells, a significantly increased proportion of $CD4^+$, $CD19^+$, $CD44^+$, $CD25^+$, NK cells, and an increased $CD4^+/CD8^+$ ratio in GC patients as compared with healthy controls (all P < 0.05). Alteration of lymphocyte subsets was positively correlated with sex, age, smoking, tumor stage and distant metastasis of GC patients (all P<0.05). Follow-up analysis indicated significantly higher DFS for patients with high circulating $CD19^+$ lymphocytes compared to those with low $CD19^+$ lymphocytes (P=0.037), with $CD19^+$ showing an important cutoff of $7.91{\pm}2.98%$ Conclusion: Circulating lymphocyte subsets in GC patients are significantly changed, and elevated CD19+ cells may predict a favorable survival.

• 대한족부족관절학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.121-125
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• 2016

Purpose: This study investigates the amputation rate within 1 year after the diagnosis of diabetic foot ulcer and its associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: This study enrolled 60 patients with diabetic foot ulcer. The mean and standard deviation age was $64.4{\pm}12.8years$ (range, 32~89 years); the mean and standard deviation prevalence period for diabetes mellitus was $21.0{\pm}7.5years$ (range, 0.5~36 years). The amputation rate was evaluated by dividing the subjects into two groups - the major and minor amputation groups - within 1 year following the initial diagnosis of diabetic foot ulcer. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for amputation. Results: The total amputation rate of 38.3% (n=23) was comprised of the amputation rate for the major amputation group (10.0%) and rate for the minor amputation group (23.8%). There was a high correlation between peripheral artery disease (toe brachial pressure index <0.7) and amputation (hazard ratio [HR] 5.81, confidence interval [CI] 2.09~16.1, p<0.01). Nephropathy was significantly correlated with the amputation rate (HR 3.53, CI 1.29~9.64, p=0.01). Conclusion: Clinicians who treat patients with diabetic foot complications must understand the fact that the amputation rate within 1 year is significant, and that the amputation rate of patients with peripheral artery disease or nephropathy is especially high.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제53권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term results of surgical treatment for native valve endocarditis (NVE) and to investigate the risk factors associated with mortality. Methods: Data including patients' characteristics, operative findings, postoperative results, and survival indices were retrospectively obtained from Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital. Results: A total of 29 patients underwent surgery for NVE (affecting the mitral valve in 20 patients and the aortic valve in 9) between 2003 and 2017. During the follow-up period (median, 46.9 months; interquartile range, 19.1-107.0 months), the 5-year survival rate was 77.2%. In logistic regression analysis, body mass index (p=0.031; odds ratio [OR], 0.574; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.346-0.951), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (p=0.026; OR, 24.0; 95% CI, 1.459-394.8), and urgent surgery (p=0.010; OR, 34.5; 95% CI, 2.353-505.7) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. Based on Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, the statistically significant predictors of long-term outcomes were hypertension, ESRD, and urgent surgery. Conclusion: Surgical treatment for NVE is associated with considerable mortality. The in-hospital mortality and 5-year survival rates of this study were 13.8% and 77.2%, respectively. Underlying conditions, including hypertension and ESRD, and urgent surgery were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes.

• 대한지역사회영양학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.354-365
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• 2016

Objectives: Studies that reported the association between diet quality/nutritional intake status and mortality have rarely used long-term follow-up data in Asian countries, including Korea. This study investigated the association between the risk of mortality (all-cause and cause-specific) and the diet quality/nutritional intake status using follow-up 12-year mortality data from a nationally representative sample of South Koreans. Methods: 8,941 individuals who participated in 1998 and 2001 Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were linked to mortality data from death certificates. Of those individuals, 1,083 (12.1%) had died as of December, 2012. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the relative risks of mortality according to the level of diet quality and intakes of major nutrients. Indicators for diet quality index and nutritional intake status were assessed using MAR (mean adequacy ratio) and energy and protein intake level compared with the 2010 Korean DRI. Results: Higher diet quality/nutritional intake status were associated with lower mortality; the mortality risk (95% confidence interval) from all-cause of lowest MAR group vs highest was 1.66 (1.27 to 2.18) among ${\geq}30$ year old, and 1.98 (1.36 to 2.86) among 30~64 year old individuals. Those with below 75% of energy and protein intake of Korean DRI had higher mortality risks of all-cause mortality compared to the reference group. Diet quality/nutritional intake status was inversely associated with mortality from cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Conclusions: Poor Diet quality/nutritional intake status were associated with a higher risk of mortality from all-cause and mortality from cardiovascular diseases and cancer among South Korean adults.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.11-16
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• 2020

Purpose: D-dimer levels are known to be associated with poor outcomes in patients with various cancers, but their significance at the end of life remains unclear. This study investigated D-dimer levels as a prognostic indicator for terminal cancer patients in the last hours of life. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at a palliative care unit of a tertiary cancer center, using a database to analyze the records of patients treated from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2018. In total, 67 terminal cancer patients with available data on D-dimer levels were included. Patients' demographic data, clinical information, and laboratory values, including D-dimer levels, were collected. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to identify prognostic factors of poor survival. Results: The most common site of cancer was the lung (32.8%) and the median survival time was 5 days. Most laboratory results, particularly D-dimer levels, deviated from the normal range. Patients with high D-dimer levels had a significantly shorter survival time than those with low D-dimer levels (4 days vs. 7 days; P=0.012). In the Cox regression analysis, only a high D-dimer level was identified as a predictor of a poor prognosis (hazard ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.09~3.07). Conclusion: Our results suggest that at the very end of life, D-dimer levels may serve as a prognostic factor for survival in cancer patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.325-331
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• 2018

Purpose: Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a rare and heterogeneous cancer with over 50 known subtypes. It is difficult to understand the role of adjuvant treatment in STS. We aimed to determine the benefits of adjuvant treatment for a rare STS subset: non-extremity STS with moderate chemosensitivity. Materials and Methods: We reviewed medical records from Pusan National University Hospital and Kosin University Gospel Hospital, which had detailed pathological reports on patients diagnosed between 2006 and 2016. The most important inclusion criterion was resection with curative intent. We grouped STS by chemosensitivity based on reported data and analyzed non-extremity STS with moderate chemosensitivity. Results: We investigated 142 patients with 20 pathological subtypes of STS. Eighty-six patients had extremity STS and 56 had non-extremity STS. Thirty-eight of 56 patients were categorized as having moderate chemosensitivity. Seventeen of 38 patients (44.7%) received adjuvant radiotherapy and 14 (36.8%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. A log-rank test showed longer disease-free survival (DFS) in the adjuvant radiotherapy group than in the group treated without adjuvant radiotherapy (not reached vs. 1.468 years, p = 0.037). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, with covariates including age, stage, resection margin, adjuvant chemotherapy, and adjuvant radiotherapy, revealed that adjuvant radiotherapy was associated with longer DFS (odds ratio = 0.369, p = 0.045). Overall survival was not correlated with adjuvant radiotherapy. Conclusion: Adjuvant radiotherapy may be associated with longer DFS in patients with non-extremity STS with moderate chemosensitivity.