• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.163-163
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• 2006

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2002.11b
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• pp.60-66
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• 2002

Aryl hydrocarbons, environmental contaminants accumulate in tissue and pose potential risk in human health. 2,3,7,8-Tertachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is known as a most potent toxicant among aryl hydrocarbons. TCDD elicits numerous toxic responses in experimental animals and human, including hepatic carcinoma, pulmonary and skin tumor in adult rodents, craniofacial abnormality during mouse embryogenesis, chloracne, reproductive abnormality, immunotoxicity, endocrine effects in exposed humans.(omitted)

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.321-329
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• 2006

Background : To evaluate the clinical characteristics of lung cancer patients in Korea, where there is a higher number of smokers than in Western countries. Methods : A retrospective study was performed on 1655 lung cancer patients, who were diagnosed at a university hospital between September 1996 and August 2005. Age, gender, cell types and clinical stage were analysed. Of 941 patients, who responded to a questionnaire at the time of diagnosis, the smoking habits, occupational history, family history of lung cancer in the first-degree relatives, coexisting diseases (diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease), body weight loss, ECOG performance status and presenting symptoms, were examined prospectively. In addition, coexisting diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and active pulmonary tuberculosis were evaluated. Results : Of the 1655 patients, the male to females ratio was 3.6. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common cancer whereas adenocarcinoma was more common in lifetime nonsmokers or women. 19.9% of the patients were non smokers and 80.1% ever smokers. Since 2000, there was an increase in the incidence of adenocarcinoma with a corresponding decrease in the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma. 6.2% of patients were asymptomatic. A coincident diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, active pulmonary tuberculosis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was made in: 44.1%, 22.2%, 10.7%, 3.9%, and 1.6% of patients, respectively. A positive family history of lung cancer in the first-degree relatives was identified in 4.4% of patients. An occupational history relevant to lung cancer was identified in 12.2% of patients. Conclusion : There is a high proportion of cigarette smokers in Korean lung cancer patients. The most common cell type was squamous cell carcinoma. However, a more detailed, prospective study of the clinical characteristics will be needed to better characterize lung cancer in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.303-310
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• 2009

Background: Elevated expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Polo-like kinase-1 (PLK-1) is observed in a wide variety of cancers. Augmented expression of COX-2 and enhanced production of prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ are associated with increased tumor cell survival and malignancy; COX-2 has been implicated in the control of human non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell growth. PLK-1 siRNA induced the cell death of lung cancer cells and the systemic administration of PLK-1 siRNA/atelocollagen complex inhibited the growth of lung cancer in a liver metastatic murine model. COX-2 and PLK-1 are involved in proliferation and in cell cycle regulation, and there is a significant correlation between their interaction in prostate carcinoma. Methods: In this study, we investigated the pattern of COX-2 and PLK-1 expression in NSCLC, after treatment with IL-1$\beta$, COX-2 inhibitor and PLK-1 siRNA. Results: Expression of PLK-1 was decreased in A549 COX-2 sense cells, and was increased in A549 COX-2 anti-sense cells. Knock out of PLK-1 expression by PLK-1 siRNA augmented COX-2 expression in A549 and NCl-H157 cells. When A549 and NCI-H157 cells were treated with COX-2 inhibitor on a dose-dependent basis, PLK-1 and COX-2 were reduced. However, when the expression of COX-2 was induced by IL-1$\beta$, the production of PLK-1 decreased. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that COX-2 and PLK-1 are regulated and inhibited by each other in NSCLC, and suggest that these proteins have a reverse relationship in NSCLC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.759-764
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• 2013

Background: The high recurrence rate after hepatic resection in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major obstacle to improving prognosis. The objective of the present study was to explore the function of genistein, a soy-derived isoflavone, in enhancing the inhibitory effect of cisplatin on HCC cell proliferation and on tumor recurrence and metastasis in nude mice after curative hepatectomy. Methods: Proliferation of human HCC cells (HCCLM3) was detected by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Synergistic effects of genistein and cisplatin were evaluated with the median-effect formula. Nude mice bearing human HCC xenografts underwent tumour resection (hepatectomy) 10 days post implantation, then received intraperitoneal administration of genistein or cisplatin alone or the combination of the two drugs. 33 days after surgery, recurrent tumours and pulmonary metastasis were evaluated individually. MMP-2 level in recurrent tumours was detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR; MMP-2 expression in HCCLM3 was detected by immunocytochemistry. Results: Genistein and cisplatin both suppressed the growth and proliferation of HCCLM3 cells. The two drugs exhibited synergistic effects even at relatively low concentrations. In vivo, mice in the combined genistein and cisplatin group had a smaller volume of liver recurrent tumors and fewer pulmonary metastatic foci compared with single drug treated groups. Cisplatin upregulated the expression of MMP-2 in both recurrent tumours and HCCLM3, while genistein abolished cisplatin-induced MMP-2 expression. Conclusions: Genistein reinforced the inhibitory effect of cisplatin on HCC cell proliferation and tumour recurrence and metastasis after curative hepatectomy in nude mice, possibly through mitigation of cisplatin-induced MMP-2 upregulation.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.608-613
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• 2015

Background The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative morbidities and functional outcomes of pectoralis major myocutaneous (PMMC) flap and cutaneous free flap reconstruction approaches in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed records from 99 patients who underwent hypopharyngeal reconstruction with a cutaneous free flap (n=85) or PMMC flap (n=14) between 1995 and 2013. Morbidity was classified into hospitalization, medical, or flap-related complications. Functional outcomes were classified into oral re-alimentation and decannulation time. Results The overall flap-related complication rate was higher in the PMMC flap group (n=8, 57.1%; P=0.019), but the medical morbidity rate was higher in the cutaneous free flap group (n=68, 80%; P=0.006). The rate of pneumonia was higher in the cutaneous free flap group (n=48, 56.5%; P=0.020). Pulmonary premorbidity was the variable most significantly associated with pneumonia (odds ratio=3.012, P=0.012). There was no statistically significant difference in oral re-alimentation and decannulation time between the two groups. Conclusions Although the functional superiority of free flaps has been reported in many studies, our results do not support this hypothesis. One limitation of our study is the relatively smaller flap size and fewer PMMC flap cases compared with the cutaneous free flap group. The low postoperative medical morbidity incidence rate in the PMMC flap group was clinically significant; however, the free flap group had more flap-related complications. Thus, PMMC flaps should be considered a viable option, especially for patients with pulmonary premorbidities.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.75 no.4
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• pp.140-149
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• 2013

Background: Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), an important regulator of plasminogen activator system which controls degradation of extracellular membrane and progression of tumor cells, and PAI-1 gene polymorphic variants have been known as the prognostic biomarkers of non-small cell lung cancer patients. Recently, experimental in vitro study revealed that transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ initiated PAI-1 transcription through epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway. However, there is little clinical evidence on the association between PAI-1 A15T gene polymorphism and prognosis of Korean population with pulmonary adenocarcinoma and the influence of activating mutation of EGFR kinase domain. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 171 patients who were diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma and undergone EGFR mutation analysis from 1995 through 2009. Results: In all patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, there was no significant association between PAI-1 A15T polymorphic variants and prognosis for overall survival. However, further subgroup analysis showed that the group with AG/AA genotype had a shorter 3-year survival time than the group with GG genotype in patients with EGFR mutant-type pulmonary adenocarcinoma (mean survival time, 24.9 months vs. 32.5 months, respectively; p=0.015). In multivariate analysis of 3-year survival for patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma harboring mutant-type EGFR, the AG/AA genotype carriers had poorer prognosis than the GG genotype carriers (hazard ratio, 7.729; 95% confidence interval, 1.414-42.250; p=0.018). Conclusion: According to our study of Korean population with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, AG/AA genotype of PAI-1 A15T would be a significant predictor of poor short-term survival in patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma harboring mutant-type EGFR.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.4
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• pp.315-320
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• 2015

Background: The efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) therapy can be measured based on the rate of treatment response, based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria or progression-free survival (PFS). However, there are some patients harboring sensitive EGFR mutations who responded poorly to EGFR-TKI therapy. In addition, there is variability in the PFS after EGFR-TKI treatment. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 85 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, who had achieved a stable disease or better response at the first evaluation of treatment response, after receiving a 2-month course of gefitinib. We calculated the tumor shrinkage rate (TSR) by measuring the longest and perpendicular diameter of the main mass on computed tomography before, and 2 months after, gefitinib therapy. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between the TSR and PFS (R=0.373, p=0.010). In addition, a simple linear regression analysis showed that the TSR might be an indicator for the PFS ($B{\pm}standard$ error, $244.54{\pm}66.79$; p=0.001). On univariate analysis, the sex, histologic type, smoking history and the number of prior chemotherapy regimens, were significant prognostic factors. On multivariate regression analysis, both the TSR (${\beta}$=0.257, p=0.029) and adenocarcinoma (${\beta}$=0.323, p=0.005) were independent prognostic factors for PFS. Conclusion: Our results showed that the TSR might be an early prognostic indicator for PFS in patients receiving EGFRTKI therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2409-2414
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• 2012

Objective: Traditional Chinese herbal medicines have a very long history. Rosa roxburghii Tratt and Fagopyrum cymosum are two examples of plants which are reputed to have benefits in improving immune responses, enhancing digestive ability and demonstrating anti-aging effects. Some evidence indicates that herbal medicine soups containing extracts from the two in combination have efficacy in treating malignant tumors. However, the underlying mechanisms are far from well understood. The present study was therefore undertaken to evaluate anticancer effects and explore molecular mechanisms in vitro. Methods: Proliferation and apoptosis were assessed with three carcinoma cell lines (human esophageal squamous carcinoma CaEs-17, human gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 and pulmonary carcinoma A549) by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively, after exposure to extract from Rosa roxburghii Tratt (CL) and extract from Fagopyrum cymosum (FR). $IC_{30}$ of CL and FR were obtained by MTT assay. Tumor cells were divided into four groups : control with no exposure to CL or FR; CL with $IC_{30}$ CL; FR with $IC_{30}$ FR; CL+FR group with 1/2 ($IC_{30}$ CL + $IC_{30}$ FR). RT-PCR and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of Ki-67, Bax and Bcl-2 at mRNA and protein levels. Results: Compared with the CL or FR groups, the combination of CL+FR showed significant inhibition of cell growth and increase in apoptosis; the mRNA and protein expression levels of Ki-67 and Bcl-2 in CL+FR group were all greatly decreased, while the expression of Bax was markedly increased. Conclusions: These results indicate that the synergistic antitumor effects of combination of CL and FR are related to inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.119-124
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• 1999

Right atrial metastasis occurs in 1 to 4% of patients with hepatoma, and the extension to intracavitary or metastasis of a tumor as a large mass rare. However, the high risk of progressive heart failure and sudden death from the tricuspid valve obstruction necessitates prompt diagnosis of intracavitary extension, and adequate intervention is needed to prolong a patient's life. A 49 year-old female was referred to our hospital for further evaluation of a liver mass, which was identified at a local clinic. The liver mass was confirmed as hepatocellular carcinoma with CT and celiac angiographies findings. She was treated with transarterial chemoembolization. Thirty-four months after discharge, a low density right atrial mass was noted incidentally with chest computed tomography while investigating a massive right pleural effusion for possible pulmonary metastasis. Echocardiography showed a huge inhomogenous echogenic mass at the right atrium. The present report describes a case of primary hepatocellular carcinoma with a intracavitary cardiac mass detected with two dimensional echocardiography.