• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.360-364
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• 2009

Objective : Several treatment options have proven effective for metastatic brain tumors, including surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery. Tumors with cystic components, however, are difficult to treat using a single method. We retrospectively assessed the outcome and efficacy of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for cystic brain metastases after stereotactic aspiration of cystic components to decrease the tumor volume. Methods : The study population consisted of 24 patients (13 males, 11 females; mean age, 58.3 years) with cystic metastatic brain tumors treated from January 2002 to August 2008. Non-small cell lung cancer was the most common primary origin. After Leksell stereotactic frame was positioned on each patient, magnetic resonance images (MRI)-guided stereotactic cyst aspiration and GKRS were performed (mean prescription dose : 20.2 Gy). After treatment, patients were evaluated by MRI every 3 or 4 months. Results : After treatment, 13 patients (54.2%) demonstrated tumor control, 5 patients (20.8%) showed local tumor progression, and 6 patients (25.0%) showed remote progression. Mean follow-up duration was 13.1 months. During this period, 10 patients (41.7%) died, but only 1 patient (4.2%) died from brain metastases. The overall median survival after these procedures was 17.8 months. Conclusion : These results support the usefulness of GKRS after stereotactic cyst aspiration in patients with large cystic brain metastases. This method is especially effective for the patients whose general condition is very poor for general anesthesia and those with metastatic brain tumors located in eloquent areas.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제61권4호
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• pp.525-529
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• 2018

Objective : To evaluate the efficacy of fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (FSRS) performed using the Novalis $Tx^{(R)}$ system (BrainLAB AG, Feldkirchen, Germany; Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA) for brain metastases. Methods : Between March 2013 and July 2016, 23 brain metastases patients were admitted at a single institute. Twenty-nine lesions too large for single session stereotactic radiosurgery or located in the vicinity of eloquent structures were treated by FSRS. Based on the results obtained, we reviewed the efficacy and toxicity of FSRS for the treatment of brain metastases. Results : The most common lesion origin was lung (55%) followed by breast (21%). Median overall survival was 10.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.9-15.0), and median progression-free survival was 10.0 months (95% CI, 2.1-13.9). Overall survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 58.6% and 36.0%, respectively. Local recurrence and neurological complications affecting morbidity each occurred in two cases. Conclusion : FSRS using the $Novalis-Tx^{(R)}$ system would appear to be an effective, safe noninvasive treatment modality for large and eloquently situated brain metastases. Further investigation is required on a larger number of patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.319-324
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• 2021

The abscopal effect refers to the phenomenon in which local radiotherapy is associated with the regression of metastatic cancer that is distantly located from the irradiated site. Here, we present a case of a patient with advanced gastric cancer and brain metastases who was successfully treated with brain radiotherapy and anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) therapy-induced abscopal effect. Although anti-PD-1 therapy alone could not prevent disease progression, the metastatic lesions in the brain and also in the abdominal lymph node showed a drastic response after brain radiotherapy and anti-PD-1 therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of successful treatment of advanced gastric cancer with multiple brain and abdominal lymph node metastases, possibly through anti-PD-1 therapy combined with brain radiotherapy-induced abscopal effect. We suggest that the combination of brain radiotherapy and anti-PD-1 therapy may be considered as a therapeutic option for advanced gastric cancer, especially when there is brain metastasis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.911-915
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• 2014

Aim: This study was to evaluate the effect of whole brain radiation (WBRT) combined with stereotactic radiotherapy (SRS) versus stereotactic radiotherapy alone for patients with brain metastases using a meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library from their inception up to October 2013. Randomized controlled trials involving whole brain radiation combined with stereotactic radiotherapy versus stereotactic radiotherapy alone for brain metastases were included. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan5.2 software. Results: Four randomized controlled trials including 903 patients were included. The meta-analysis showed statistically significant lowering of the local recurrence rate (OR=0.29, 95%CI: 0.17~0.49), new brain metastasis rate (OR=0.45, 95%CI: 0.28~0.71) and symptomatic late neurologic radiation toxicity rate (OR=3.92, 95%CI: 1.37~11.20) in the combined group. No statistically significant difference existed in the 1-year survival rate (OR=0.78, 95%CI: 0.60~1.03). Conclusions: The results indicate that whole brain radiotherapy combined with stereotactic radiotherapy has advantages in local recurrence and new brain metastasis rates, but stereotactic radiotherapy alone is associated with better neurological function. However, as the samples included were not large, more high-quality, large-sample size studies are necessary for confirmation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.179-184
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• 2011

Objective : The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic effects of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) in patients with multiple brain metastases and to investigate prognostic factors related to treatment outcome. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed clinico-radiological and dosimetric data of 36 patients with 4-14 brain metastases who underwent GKRS for 264 lesions between August 2008 and April 2011. The most common primary tumor site was the lung (n=22), followed by breast (n=7). At GKRS, the median Karnofsky performance scale score was 90 and the mean tumor volume was 1.2 cc (0.002-12.6). The mean prescription dose of 17.8 Gy was delivered to the mean 61.1% isodose line. Among 264 metastases, 175 lesions were assessed for treatment response by at least one imaging follow-up. Results : The overall median survival after GKRS was $9.1{\pm}1.7$ months. Among various factors, primary tumor control was a significant prognostic factor ($11.1{\pm}$1.3 months vs. $3.3{\pm}2.4$ months, p=0.031). The calculated local tumor control rate at 6 and 9 months after GKRS were 87.9% and 84.2%, respectively. Paddick's conformity index (>0.75) was significantly related to local tumor control. The actuarial peritumoral edema reduction rate was 22.4% at 6 months. Conclusion : According to our results, GKRS can provide beneficial effect for the patients with multiple (4 or more) brain metastases, when systemic cancer is controlled. And, careful dosimetry is essential for local tumor control. Therefore, GKRS can be considered as one of the treatment modalities for multiple brain metastase.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제58권3호
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• pp.205-210
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• 2015

Objective : This study was aimed at optimizing the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who are candidates for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for brain metastases and harbor activating epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records from 2005 to 2010 of NSCLC patients with brain metastases harboring an activating EGFR mutation. Patients who received a combination therapy of SRS and EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for brain metastases and those who received SRS without EGFR-TKI were compared. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) of the brain metastases. Results : Thirty-one patients were eligible for enrolment in this study (SRS with TKI, 18; SRS without TKI, 13). Twenty-two patients (71.0%) were women and the median overall age was 56.0 years. PFS of brain lesions was not significantly prolonged in SRS with TKI treatment group than in SRS without TKI group (17.0 months vs. 9.0 months, p=0.45). Local tumor control rate was 83.3% in the combination therapy group, and 61.5% in the SRS monotherapy group (p=0.23). There were no severe adverse events related with treatment in both groups. Conclusions : Therapeutic outcome of concurrent SRS and TKI treatment was not superior to SRS monotherapy, however, there was no additive adverse events related with combined treatment.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제52권4호
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• pp.334-338
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• 2012

Objective : We compared the survival time between patients with multiple gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) and patients with a single GKRS plus whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT), in patients with multiple metachronous brain metastases from lung cancer. Methods : From May 2006 to July 2010, we analyzed 31 patients out of 112 patients who showed multiple metachronous brain metastases. 20 out of 31 patients underwent multiple GKRS (group A) and 11 patients underwent a single GKRS plus WBRT (group B). We compared the survival time between group A and B. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards were used to analyze relationship between survival and 1) the number of lesions in each patient, 2) the average volume of lesions in each patient, 3) the number of repeated GKRS, and 4) the interval of development of new lesions, respectively. Results : Median survival time was 18 months (range 6-50 months) in group A and 6 months (range 3-18 months) in group B. Only the average volume of individual lesion (over 10 cc) was negatively related with survival time according to Kaplan-Meier method. Cox-proportional hazard ratio of each variable was 1.1559 for the number of lesions, 1.0005 for the average volume of lesions, 0.0894 for the numbers of repeated GKRS, and 0.5970 for the interval of development of new lesions. Conclusion : This study showed extended survival time in group A compared with group B. Our result supports that multiple GKRS is of value in extending the survival time in patients with multiple metachronous brain metastases, and that the number of the lesions and the frequency of development of new lesions are not an obstacle in treating patients with GKRS.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.36-41
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• 2015

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of post-treatment intracranial hemorrhage of brain metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: Medical records of 81 patients who have been diagnosed of brain metastases from HCC and underwent surgery, radiosurgery and/or whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) between January 2000 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Intracranial hemorrhage was present in 64 patients (79%) at the time of diagnosis. Median value of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level was 1,700 ng/mL. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status for 20 patients was greater than 2. Fifty-seven patients underwent WBRT and the others were treated with surgery and/or radiosurgery without WBRT. During follow-up, 12 events of intracranial hemorrhage after treatment were identified. Three-month post-treatment hemorrhage rate was 16.1%. Multivariate analyses revealed that ECOG performance status, AFP, and WBRT were associated with post-treatment hemorrhage (p = 0.013, 0.013, and 0.003, respectively). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that 3-month post-treatment hemorrhage rate of new lesion was higher in patients treated without WBRT, although statistical significance was not reached. (18.6% vs. 4.6%; p = 0.104). Ten of 12 patients with post-treatment hemorrhage died with neurologic cause. Conclusion: WBRT should be considered to prevent post-treatment hemorrhage in the treatment of brain metastases from HCC.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.197-204
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• 1991

비소세포성 폐암의 뇌전이 환자에서 방사선 치료후 예후인자를 분석하기 위하여 경희대학부속병원 치료방사선과에서 치료받은 53예의 방사선치료 결과를 분석하였다. 전체 53예중 남자가 37명 여자가 16예이고, 연령분포는 39세부터 85세까지로 평균 59세 였다. 조직학적 소견은 선암이 27예($50.9\%$)로 가장 많았으며 편평세포암(21예), 대세포암(5예) 순이었다. 모든 환자에서 스테로이드투여와 함께 전뇌조사를 시행하였다. 전체 환자의 중간생존 기간은 5개월이었고, 나이, 성별, 조직형태, 초기 수행상태는 예후에 영향을 미치지 않았다. 가장 중요한 예후인자는 방사선치료후 반응여부와 뇌이외 부위의 다발성 전이 유무 였다. 따라서 뇌전이 단독소견을 가진 비소세포성 폐암 환자에서 적정한 방사선 치료선량으로 적극적인 치료로써 생존기간을 연장시키고 quality of life를 향상시킬 수 있을 것으로 기대한다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.499-505
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• 2003

연구배경 : 본 논문에서는 뇌 전이 병소의 발견에 있어서 고식적 조영증강 자기공명영상 기법과 비교하여 제한적 조영증강 자기공명영상의 유용성을 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 1998년 4월부터 2002년 9월까지 뇌 전이의 여부를 알아보기 위해 고식적 뇌 자기공명영상올 시행한 폐암 및 기타 암으로 진단을 받은 47명의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. 47명의 환자에서 축상면 T1 강조영상, 축상면 조영증강 T1강조영상， 관상면 조영증강 Tl 강조영상을 포함하는 제한적 뇌 자기공명영상을 선정하여 뇌 전이 결절의 영상판독을 시도하고 이를 고식적 뇌 자기공명영상의 영상소견과 비교하여 뇌 전이 발견의 민감도, 특이도와 일치율을 알아보았다. 결 과 : 47명의 환자 중 고식적 조영증강 자기공명영상에서 43명이 뇌 전이가 있었고, 제한적 자기공명영상에서는 42명에서 뇌 전이를 발견하였다.(민감도=97.67%). 고식적 뇌 자기공명영상에서 뇌 전이가 없었던 4명의 환자는 제한적 뇌 자기공명영상에서도 모두 뇌 전이가 없었다.(특이도=100%) 제한적 뇌 자기공명영상과 고식적 뇌 자기공명영상은 Pearson correlation이 0.884(Confidence Interval: 99%)로 높은 일치율올 보였다. 결 론 : 제한적 뇌 자기공명영상은 적은 비용으로 뇌 전이 여부를 판정할 수 있는 방법으로 제한적 자기공명 영상은 고식적 자기공명영상에 비해 손색없는 진단율을 보이므로 증상이 있는 환자에서만 시행되어 왔던 뇌영상 조영을 무증상 환자에서도 뇌 전이의 여부를 알아보기 위해 시행할 수 있을 것이다.