• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5735-5739
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• 2012

Background: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an insidious tumor with poor prognosis, arising from mesothelial surfaces such as pleura, peritoneum and pericardium. We here aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, and radiological features of patients with MM followed in our center as well as their survival. Methods: The study included 228 patients (131 male, 97 female) who were followed up in our institution between 1993 and 2010 with the diagnosis of MM. Results: The mean age was 59.1 years in men and 58.7 years in women and the sex ratio was 1.4:1 in favor of males. Environmental asbestos exposure was present in 86% of the patients for a mean duration of $40{\pm}20$ years (range: 3-70). Pleural effusion and thoracic/abdominal pain were the most common presenting signs and symptoms (70.2% and 57.8%, respectively). One hundred-thirteen (66%) patients were treated with platinum-based combination chemotherapy (PBCT) plus supportive care (SC) and 67 (34%) patients received SC alone. The median follow-up time was 10.0 months. The median overall survival was significantly improved with PBCT plus SC compared to SC alone (11.4 vs. 5.1 months; p=0.005). The 6, 12, 18, and 24-month survival rates were significantly improved with PBCT plus SC compared to SC alone (72%, 43%, 19%, and 2% vs. 49%, 31%, 11%, and 1%). Conclusion: The survival of patients with MM improved in patients treated with PBCT. The survival advantage continued 12- and 24-month after the initial time of combination chemotherapy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.347-356
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• 1991

Endobronchial tuberculosis is a serious disase because it frequently leaves airway obstruction as the complication, and the treatment of airway obstruction is generally troublesome. In the tumorous type of endobonchial tuberculosis, the bronchial patency is partially or completely compromised with lymph node contents when the necrotic focus of the lymph node ruptures into the bronchial lumen to form a bronchoglandular fistula. To investigate the transition of endobronchial lesion and to evaluate the therapeutic role of bronchoscopic electrocautery in the tumorous type of endobronchial tuberculosis, we performed electrocautery in addition to the combination chemotherapy with steroid and anti-tuberculous drugs in two cases which had airway obstruction proximal to lobar bronchus with the impairment of pulmonary function. We also treated another two cases only with chemotherapy and we have followed up four cases over a 36-month period. In cases that bronchoscopic electrocautery was done, the bronchial patency was completely restored and the impairment of pulmonary function disappeared just after cautery and these effects have remained for 12 months or more. But in cases of medical treatment only, bronchial stenosis was inevitable as the tumorous type of endobronchial tuberculosis changed to the stenotic type with fibrosis. It can be concluded that bronchoscopic electrocautery can nip the occurence of bronchial stenosis in the bud when it is applied in addition to combination chemotherapy with steroid and antituberculous drugs in the tumorous type of endobronchial tuberculosis.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.350-361
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• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to report the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Methods: The articles were sourced from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CiNii, WHO ICTRP, JSOM, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, and OASIS as of July 2019. The main search keywords were peripheral neuropathy and acupuncture, and only randomized controlled trials using acupuncture for therapeutic purposes were included. Cochrane's risk of bias was used to assess the risk of bias, and the Review Manager 5.3 program was used for meta-analysis. Results: Six studies with a total 394 participants were included. When combined treatment of acupuncture and usual care was compared with usual care alone, quality of life improved more significantly in the combination treatment group (SMD=-2.71, 95% CI: -5.01 to -0.41, P=0.02, I²=97%). The CIPN pain score was lower among the combination treatment group, but not to a significant degree (SMD=-2.55, 95% CI: -5.14 to 0.04, P<0.05, I²=98%). There were no severe side effects in any studies. Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with usual care may be considered to safely relieve CIPN pain and improve quality of life for cancer patients. However, as there are few randomized controlled trials studying the effect of acupuncture on CIPN, further well-designed research is needed.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.303-318
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• 1998

Cutaneous stimulation and distraction are independent nursing interventions used in various painful conditions, which is explained by gate control theory. This study was aimed at identifying the effect of cutaneous stimulation, distraction and combination of cutaneous stimulation and distraction on the reduction of intravenous injection pain levels of chemotherapy patients. Repeated measurement post test research design was used for one group. Fifty-three cancer patients who received intravenous chemotherapy regulary in outpatient injection rooms of D medical center and Y medical center in Taegu were studied from June 23, 1997 to July 12, 1997. First the intravenous injection pain level of the control period was measured. Second, the intravenous injection pain level of the experimental period using cutaneous stimulation was measured. Third, the intravenous injection pain level of the experimental period using distraction was messured. Fourth, the intravenous injection pain level of the experimental period using a combination of cutaneous stimulation and distraction was measured. The instruments used for this study were a visual analogue pain scale as subjective pain measurement and an objective pain behavior checklist. Analysis of data was done by use of repeated measure ANOVA, bonferni, t-test, and F-test. The results of this study were summerized as follows : 1) The first hypothesis that the subjective pain score of intraveneous injection pain in the experimental period with cutaneous stimulation will be lower than in the control period was rejected. 2) The second hypothesis that the objective pain behavior score of intravenous injection pain in the experimental period with cutaneous stimulation will be lower than in the control period was accepted(F=24.23, p=0.0001, Bornferni p<.05). 3) The third hypothesis that the subjective pain score of intraveneous injection pain in the experimental period with distraction will be lower than in the control period was rejected. 4) The fourth hypothesis that the objective pain score of intravenous injection pain in the experimental period with distraction will be lower than in the control period was accepted(F=24.23, p=0.0001, Bornferni p<.05). 5) The fifth hypothesis that the subjective pain score of intravenous injection pain in the experimental period with combination of cutaneous stimulation and distraction will be lower than in the control period was accepted(F=3.04, p=0.031, Bonferni p<.05). 6) The sixth hypothesis that the objective pain score of intravenous injection pain in the experimental period with combination of cutaneous stimulation and distraction will be lower than in the control period was accepted(F=24.23, p=0.0001, Bonferni p<.05).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1471-1477
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• 2015

Background: Adding taxanes to adjuvant antracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) in combination may provide significant improvement in node-positive and high risk node-negative breast cancer (BC) patients. However, the optimal dose and the role of dose-dense (DD) chemotherapy have yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of a DD paclitaxel (P)-AC combination with conventional weekly P-AC or docetaxel D-AC combinations in patients with node-positive breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Newly diagnosed 280 node-positive BC patients diagnosed from 1998 to 2013 in three clinics were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and medical data were collected from the medical charts. Patients were categorized to 3 groups according to treatment arms: arm A, ddAC-P; arm B, weekly P and AC combination; and arm C; T and AC combination. Adjuvant trastuzumab was added for HER2-positive patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was carried out for disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). The log-rank test was used to examine the statistical significance of the differences observed between the groups. Two-sided P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Of the total of 280 patients, 101 were in arm A, 114 in arm B and 65 in arm C.The median ages were 49, 50 and 46, respectively (p=0.11). Median follow-up was 39 (3-193) months. Stage, lymphovascular and perineural invasion, receptor patern, and menopausal status were similar in the 3 treatment arms, but HER2 positivity was significantly lower in arm A, compared to arms B and C (25.7%, 53.1%, 41.5% in arms A, B and C, respectively; p<0.001). Also grade 3 tumors were significantly less frequent in treatment arm A compared to arm B and C (27.3%, 56.8% and 49.2%, respectively, p=0.01). Afterunivariate and multivariate analysis were performed, 3-year DFS rates were 89%, 81%, and 75%, respectively (p=0.12) and three year OS rates were 96.6%, 89%, and 75% (p=0.62). Conclusions: In this study, no significant difference was found between adjuvant dose dense and conventional taxane treatment regimens.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to examine dental complications and to evaluate the effects of initial treatment age, treatment modalities, and treatment duration on the disorder after radiation and chemotherapy in pediatric cancer patients. For 93 children with clinical and radiographic data, the number of teeth, the morphology of teeth, the shape of the roots, and development status of the dentition were evaluated. Dental development disorders were found in 61.3% of the children. The mostly found abnormality was root deformity with the prevalence of 31.2%. In children submitted to the therapy before the age of 6, the number of missing teeth (p = 0.029) and microdontia (p = 0.003) were greater compared to the children who started to receive the treatment after the age of 6. The combination of radiation and chemotherapy showed significantly greater incidences of missing teeth (p = 0.030), microdontia (p = 0.046), and root deformity (p = 0.009) when compared with the sole application of chemotherapy. When the children were submitted to anticancer therapy for 18 months or longer duration, greater number of missing teeth (p = 0.032), microdontia (p = 0.011), root deformity (p = 0.025), and total number of teeth affected (p = 0.036) were observed compared with duration less than 18 months. The number of dental abnormalities increased when the children were treated at earlier ages, with combination of radiation and chemotherapy, and for longer period of time.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2591-2594
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• 2013

Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel liposome (Lipusu$^{(R)}$) with paclitaxel in combination with tegafur and oxaliplatin in treating patients with advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Patients with advanced gastric cancer receiving chemotherapy were retrospectively collected, and divided into two groups. Patients in group A received paclitaxel liposomes at a dose of 135 $mg/m^2$ on day 1 of each cycle, and patients in group B were given paclitaxel at the same dose with the same timing. All patients received tegafur at a dose of 500 $mg/m^2$ on days 1-5, and oxaliplatin at a dose of 80-100 $mg/m^2$ on day 1 for 2 cycles (each cycle was 21 d in total). Results: Fifty-eight patients could be evaluated for efficacy. The overall response rate was 47% in group A (14/30), and 46% in group B (13/28). Disease control rate was 73% in group A (22/30), and 71% in group B (20/28) (P>0.05). No significant differences were detected in hematologic and neurologic toxicities between the two groups (P>0.05). However, nausea, vomiting and hypersensitive reactions were significantly lower in group A than in group B (P<0.05). Conclusion: Paclitaxel liposomes are as effective as paclitaxel when combined with tegafur and oxaliplation in treating patients with advanced gastric cancer, but adverse reactions with paclitaxel liposomes are less common.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.7025-7029
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• 2015

Background: The optimal sequence and extent of multimodality therapy remains to be defined for extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma because of its rarity. The purpose of our study was to assess the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation/radiation in patients with extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Four consecutively diagnosed patients were included in this study. The primary tumor site was oropharynx in three patients and esophagus in one. The patients with the limited disease were treated with chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation (n=2) or radiotherapy (n=1). The patient with the extensive disease with the primary site in vallecula was treated with chemotherapy and palliative radiotherapy to the metastatic site. Results: The median follow-up was 22.5 months (range, 8-24 months). Three patients with the limited disease (base of tongue, n=2; esophagus, n=1) were in complete remission. The patient with the extensive disease died of loco-regional tumor progression at 8 months from the time of diagnosis. Conclusions: The combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is the preferred therapeutic approach for patients with extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma. Induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation or radiation provides a good loco-regional control in patients with limited disease.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1381-1387
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• 2001

Objective : Endodermal sinus tumor or yolk sac tumor is an uncommon malignant germ-cell neoplasm. This tumor was originally described as a germ cell tumor of the ovary or the testis. Intracranial endodermal sinus tumor is extremely rare and usually develop in the pineal or suprasellar regions. The authors evaluated the effect of adjuvant therapy(chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy) and radical removal of intracranial endodermal sinus tumors. Material and Methods : Between 1996 and 2001, four patients of intracranial endodermal sinus tumor were diagnosed with tumor marker(AFP) and biopsy. Three patients were treated with surgical removal and chemotherapy with cisplatin($20mg/m^2$), etoposide($100mg/m^2$) and bleomycin($15mg/m^2$) as well as external beam radiation therapy. We compared the management problems for these tumors. Result : In all three patients the tumor size and the level of tumor marker decresed during initial adjuvant therapy. However, Tumors showed regrowth with elevated AFP of serum and CSF possibly related to delayed chemotherapeutic treatment or inadequate administration of chemotherapeutic drugs due to severe bone marrow suppression. An additional chemotherapy and external radiation therapy were given, but tumors could not be controlled with leptomeningeal seeding. Conclusion : Radiotherapy is considered to be less effective. The combination chemotherapy with PVB(cisplatin, vinblastine, bleomycine) or PE(cisplatin, etoposide) is considered to be value in prolongation of the survival rate. But the role of chemotherapy in this tumor has not yet been clarified due to bone marrow suppression and drug resistance. Further study with large series of this tumor is necessary to establish the optimal management.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.5037-5041
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• 2015

Background: An hCG regression curve has been used to predict the natural history and response to chemotherapy in gestational trophoblastic disease. We constructed hCG regression curves in high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) treated with EMA/CO and identified an optimal hCG level to detect EMA/CO resistance in GTN. Materials and Methods: Eighty-one women with GTN treated with EMA/CO were classified as primary high-risk GTN (n = 65) and single agent-resistance GTN (n = 16). The hCG levels prior to each course of chemotherapy were plotted in the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles to construct the hCG regression curves. Diagnostic performance was evaluated for an optimal cut-off value. Results: The median hCG levels were 264,482 mIU/mL mIU/mL and 495.5 mIU/mL mIU/mL for primary high-risk GTN and single agent-resistance GTN, respectively. The 50th percentile of the hCG level in primary high-risk GTN and single agent-resistance turned to normal before the 4th and the 2nd course of chemotherapy, respectively. The 90th percentile of the hCG level in primary high-risk GTN and single agent-resistance turned to normal before the 9th and the 2nd course of chemotherapy, respectively. The hCG level of ${\geq}118.6mIU/mL$ mIU/mL at the 5thcourse of EMA/CO predicted the EMA/CO resistance in primary high-risk GTN patients with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 100%. Conclusion: EMA/CO resistance in primary high-risk GTN can be predicted by using an hCG regression curve in combination with the cut-off value of 118.6 mIU/mL at the 5thcourse of chemotherapy.