• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.141-151
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• 2009

Background: There is limited data on the epidemiology and relative frequency of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) worldwide. This survey was performed to assess the epidemiology and relative frequency of IIP in Korea. Methods: The patients with IIP and who were confirmed by lung biopsy, except those patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, (IPF) over a 5 year period (from Jan. $1^{st}$, 2003 to Dec. $31^{st}$, 2007) were registered by a web-base questionnaire. Results: A total of 3,156 cases were registered, but 970 cases were excluded due to duplicative registration, inadequate data and the unmet ATS/ERS diagnostic criteria. A total of 2,186 cases were analyzed. The male to female ratio was about 2 : 1 and their mean age was 65 (range: 11-94). The most frequent disease was IPF (77.1%), followed in decreasing order by nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) (11.9%), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) (8.5%), acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) (1.1%), desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP) (0.9%), respiratory bronchiolitis-interstitial lung disease (RB-ILD) (0.4%) and lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP) (0.1%). The mean age of the patients with IPF, NSIP and COP was 67.8, 57.1 and 57.7 years old, respectively. The most frequent symptom was dyspnea on exertion (69%) followed by coughing (61%) and sputum (33%) for the whole population. The three year survival rate was 62% for the patients with IPF and the five year survival rate was 85% in both the NSIP and COP patients. Conclusion: This survey provides helpful information for the management of IIP and to produce management guidelines for this illness in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2021

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in Korea. Although the smoking rate has decreased over time, the prevalence of lung cancer still remains high. In this study, we reviewed recent trends on the incidence, epidemiology, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer in Korea by analyzing data from the national lung cancer registry and recently-published studies. Although approximately 40% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were diagnosed as stage IV, the 5-year relative survival rate improved from 11.3% (1993-1995) to 30.2% (2013-2017), possibly due to advances in methods of diagnosis and therapy. In addition, the 2019 implementation of the national lung cancer screening program with low-dose computed tomography may have also contributed to these improvements in survival rates. Recently, molecular diagnosis has become more widely used in the identification of genetic mutations in tissue specimens. Target therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors have also been successfully used, particularly in cases of advanced NSCLC. In the future, further research on the optimal management of lung cancer remains necessary.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 1988

Experiments were carried out to examine early life history, growth and gonadal development of triploid rainbow trout to evaluate their suitability for commercial aquaculture. A high degree ($96.5\%$) of triploid fish was induced when the fertilized eggs were treated with heat shock. Mean embryonic development time of triploids was slightly shorter than diploids and survival rate of triploid at swim-up was $80.2\%$ relative to control. Erythrocytes and their nuclei of triploid were larger in both axes than those of diploid. Triploid rainbow trout showed improved growth relative of diploid after 1 year of age. Histological analysis of the gonads revealed sterility in triploid fish.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.127-164
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• 2020

We perform an econometric assessment of the role that pharmaceutical innovation-the introduction and use of new drugs-has played in improving the health of Koreans, by investigating whether diseases for which more new drugs were launched had larger subsequent increases in longevity and smaller subsequent increases in hospitalization. Drugs launched during 1993-2012 are estimated to have increased mean age at death from all diseases by 1.71 years between 1995 and 2015 and 1.09 years between 2005 and 2015. We also estimate that new drugs increased the five-year relative survival rate from all cancers combined by 23.2 percentage points-78.5% of the total increase-between 1993-1995 and 2011-2015, and that new drugs launched during 2008-2010 reduced the number of hospital days in 2017 by 13.0 million. If the drugs launched during 2003-2012 had had no effect on other medical expenditure in 2015, the cost per life-year gained would not have exceeded 6332 USD. Therefore, even if we ignore the effect of new drugs on hospital utilization, the drugs launched during 2003-2012 were very cost-effective, overall. When reduced hospital utilization is accounted for, the evidence indicates that, in the long run, pharmaceutical innovation was cost-saving as well as life-year saving.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7441-7447
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• 2015

Objective: This study evaluated the safety and objective response of combining $^{131}I$-labeled-metuximab (Licartin) with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: In a multicenter open-label clinical trial, 341 enrolled patients with stage III/IV HCC according to TNM criteria were nonrandomly assigned to a trial group (n=167) and a control group (n=174), undergoing TACE following hepatic intra-arterial injection of licartin or TACE alone from July 2007 to July 2009. Radiopharmaceutical distribution was evaluated. The primary endpoint was overall survival; secondary endpoints included time-to-progression (TTP), toxicity and adverse events (AEs). Results: The radiobiological distribution demonstrated better localization of licartin in liver tumors than other tissues (P<0.01). The organ absorbed doses to liver and red marrow were $3.19{\pm}1.01Gy$ and $0.55{\pm}0.22Gy$, respectively. The 1-year survival rate was significantly higher [79.47% vs. 65.59%, hazard ratio (HR), 0.598, P=0.041] and TTP significantly improved ($6.82{\pm}1.28$ vs. $4.7{\pm}1.14months$, P=0.037) compared with the control group. Patients at stage III achieved more benefit of one year survival than stage IV in the trial group (86.9% vs. 53.8%, P<0.001). There were significant different toxicities in leukocytopenia, thrombocytopenia and increased total bilirubin level [P<0.001, P=0.013, P<0.01, relative risk (RR) 1.63, 1.33, 1.43], but no differences in severe AEs of upper GI hemorrhage and severe liver dysfunction between the groups (5.39% vs. 2.3%, P=0.136). Conclusions: Owing to excellent tumor-targeting, promised efficacy and favourable toxicity profile, the novel combination therapy of licartin and TACE could be applied in patients with unresectable HCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.11-15
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• 2016

Gastrointestinal cancers remain the most prevalent cancers in many developing countries such as Iran. The aim of this study was to estimate incidence, prevalence and mortality, as well as time trends for gastrointestinal cancers in Isfahan province of Iran for the period 2001 to 2010 and to project these estimates to the year 2020. Estimates were driven by applying the MIAMOD method (a backward calculation approach using mortality and relative survival rates). Mortality data were obtained from the Ministry of Health and the relative survival rate for all gastrointestinal cancers combined was derived from the Eurocare 3 study. Results indicated that there were clear upward trends in age adjusted incidence (males 22.9 to 74.2 and females 14.9 to 44.2), prevalence (males 52.6 to 177.7 and females 38.3 to 111.03), and mortality (males 14.6 to 47.2 and females 9.6 to 28.2) rates per 100,000 for the period of 2001 to 2010 and this upward state would persist for the projected period. For the entire period, the male to female ratio increased slightly for all parameters (incidence rate increased from 1.5 to 1.7, prevalence from 1.4 to 1.6, and mortality from 1.5 to 1.7). In males, totals of 2,179 incident cases, 5,097 prevalent cases and 1,398 mortality cases were predicated to occur during the study period. For females the predicted figures were 1,379, 3,190 and 891, respectively. It was concluded that the upward trend of incidence alongside increase in survival rates would induce a high burden on the health care infrastructure in the province of Isfahan in the future.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.90-104
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and radiographic changes and the survival rate after periodontal surgery using deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) with 10% collagen or DBBM with a collagen membrane in endo-periodontal lesions. Methods: A total of 52 cases (41 patients) with at least 5 years of follow-up were included in this study. After scaling and root planing with or without endodontic treatment, periodontal regenerative procedures with DBBM with 10% collagen alone or DBBM with a collagen membrane were performed, yielding the DBBM + 10% collagen and DBBM + collagen membrane groups, respectively. Changes in clinical parameters including the plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, gingival recession, relative clinical attachment level, mobility, and radiographic bone gains were evaluated immediately before periodontal surgical procedures and at a 12-month follow-up. Results: At the 12-month follow-up after regenerative procedures, improvements in clinical parameters and radiographic bone gains were observed in both treatment groups. The DBBM + 10% collagen group showed greater probing pocket depth reduction ($4.52{\pm}1.06mm$) than the DBBM + collagen membrane group ($4.04{\pm}0.82mm$). However, there were no significant differences between the groups. Additionally, the radiographic bone gain in the DBBM + 10% collagen group ($5.15{\pm}1.54mm$) was comparable to that of the DBBM + collagen membrane group ($5.35{\pm}1.84mm$). The 5-year survival rate of the teeth with endo-periodontal lesions after periodontal regenerative procedures was 92.31%. Conclusions: This study showed that regenerative procedures using DBBM with 10% collagen alone improved the clinical attachment level and radiographic bone level in endo-periodontal lesions. Successful maintenance of the results after regenerative procedures in endo-periodontal lesions can be obtained by repeated oral hygiene education within strict supportive periodontal treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.454-459
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• 2021

According to statistics from 2017, esophageal cancer is the fifteenth most common cancer and the eleventh most common cause of cancer-related death in Korea. The most common pathology is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Moreover, the incidence of esophageal cancer has been gradually decreasing in Korea, and the percentage of early-stage cases has gradually increased to the point that it is higher than that of other countries. The 5-year relative survival rate has improved over time. Approximately 800 esophagectomy procedures are performed annually. Using a cut-off number of 21 cases per 2 years to define high-volume centers, it was found that 70% of esophagectomies were performed by a few high-volume centers. Unfortunately, there is no nationwide registry or database on esophageal cancer and esophagectomy in Korea. Efforts to establish a nationwide database on esophageal cancer and esophagectomy should be made.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 1993

The high relapse rate after curative surgery of lung cancer suggests that tumor cells are remained at the site of resection and in the distant organs. Postoperative radiochemoimmunotherapy including protein-bound polysaccharide PS-K[Copolang] and/or chemotherapy to improve the prognosis in lung cancer has been adopted. The patients with lung cancer who were treated with a combined modality therapy after surgery were reviewed to determine the effects of adjuvant immunotherapy[PS-K] and the relationship between midterm survival and clinicopathologic variables. During the past 5 years, 95 patients with lung cancer underwent resective operation. Of them, 30 cases were curative surgery, 29 were relative curative surgery, and the remainders were non-curative surgery. Postoperative combination therapies consisted of three types of therapies: postoperative BRM[biological response modifiers] with PS-K [Copolang] 50 mg/kg for 24 weeks[Group 1], chemoimmunotherapy with chemotherapy[a combination of cisplatin, etoposide, vindesine] and PS-K [Group 2], radioimmunotherapy with postoperative prophylactic irradiation to the mediastinum at total dose of 54 Gy-60 Gy and PS-K [Group 3] and surgery without adjuvant therapy[Group 4]. Twenty months survival rates of localized disease [Stages I and II] treated with PS-K, with radioimmunotherapy and no therapy were 73 %, 60 %, and 50 %, respectively [p [0.05]. Three-year survival rates of regionally advanced cases [stage Ilia and IIIb] were 23 % in Group 1.57 % in Group 2.20 % in Group 3, and 0 % in Group 4, respectively.According to above results, we suggest that postoperative combination therapy including PS-K might improve the prognosis of lung cancer. The similar survival pattern of patients with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma treated with BRM, chemoimmunotherapy or radioimmunotherapy need to evaluate the role of postoperative immunotherapy[PS-K] in randomized studies.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 1990

From May, 1979 to October,1987, 38 patients with endometrial carcinoma were treated with radiotherapy at Seoul National University Hospital. Of these, 32 patients received radiotherapy Postoperatively, one received radiotherapy preoperatively, and five received radiotherapy only. Relative frequencies of obesity, nulliparity, late menopause, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were all higher than those reported in normal women in Korea, and those of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and nulliparity were significantly high. The overall actuarial five-year survival rate was $75.6\%$. The overall actuarial five year survival rates of stage I (22 cases), stage II (six cases), and stage III (10 cases) were $90.0\%,\;80.0\%,\;and\;44.4\%$, respectively, and were significantly different from each other. Among various factors, stage only proved to be prognostic by multivariate analysis. There were two local failures, three local failures combined with distant metastasis, and three distant metastasis. Stages I and II could be adequately controlled by local modalities without severe complications, stage III endometrial carcinoma might need more aggressive treatment for better survival.