• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1127-1130
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• 2013

Background: The standard national protocol for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children was implemented in 2006. A systematic evaluation of the treatment outcome is needed. This study examined the relapse-free survival among childhood ALL cases treated with this protocol and related factors. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted in children aged between 0-15 years, newly diagnosed with ALL between March 2006 and March 2011 at Srinagarind Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University. The patients were treated on the basis of stratified risk as per the Thai national protocol. Data were compiled from the hospital records. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to describe relapse-free survival and the Cox proportional hazard model to investigate the associated factors. Results: Of the 103 children recruited, 86 (83.5%) achieved complete remission. The total follow-up time was 3132.5 person-months. Eighteen (20.9%) relapsed. The incidence density was 0.6 per 100 person-months (95%CI: 0.4, 0.9). The respective relapse-free rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 93.0% (95%CI: 85.1, 96.8), 84.5% (95%CI: 74.0, 90.9) and 64.1% (95%CI: 45.6, 77.8). A factor associated with the relapse-free rate was age under 1 year (HR=6.0; 95%CI: 1.1, 33.8). Conclusions: The rate of being relapse-free in ALL children treated under the Thai national protocol at Srinagarind Hospital was better than with former protocols; however, it is still not as good as in developed countries. Further review of the treatment approach of ALL is needed.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2018

Rituximab (RTX) is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that inhibits CD20-mediated B-cell proliferation and differentiation. Several studies have examined its use in intractable nephrotic syndrome (NS) with some positive results. However, those studies examined such effects for a short-term period of 1 year, and some patients continued to relapse after a lapse in RTX treatment. Our use of RTX as a maintenance therapy (RTX injection when the CD19 cell count exceeded $100-200/{\mu}L$ before relapse) showed some noticeable efficacy. We used RTX in 19 patients with steroid-dependent NS (SDNS). In 12 patients treated with RTX maintenance therapy, only one relapse occurred. The mean treatment period was $23.4{\pm}12.7months$, and the mean number of RTX administrations was $3.9{\pm}1.6$. The relapse rates were decreased (from 2.68/year to 0.04/year), and the drug-free period also increased (from 22.5 days/year to 357.1 days/year) during maintenance therapy. The other seven patients were treated with one cycle of RTX or additional cycles in case of relapse (non-maintenance therapy). Relapse rates were significantly decreased after RTX treatment (from 1.76/year to 0.96/year, P=0.017). The relapse-free period was $15.55{\pm}7.38$ (range, 5.3-30.7) months. No severe side effects of RTX were found except for a hypersensitivity reaction such as fever and chills during its infusion. In conclusion, RTX is considered an effective and safe option to reduce the relapse rate by a single- or maintenance-interval therapy in SDNS.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.129-142
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• 1995

Purpose: Traditionally the patients with early stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck was treated with radiotherapy. But the results were not satisfactory due to distant relapse. Although combined treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy was tried with some improved results and chemotherapy alone was also tried in recent years, the choice of treatment for the patients with early stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck has not been defined Therefore, in order to determine the optimum treatment method, we analysed retrospectively the outcomes of the patients with Ann Arbor stage I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma localized to the head and neck who were treated at Severance Hospital. Materials and Methods: 159 patients with stage I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma localized to the head and neck were treated at our hospital from January, 1979 to December, 1992. Of these patients, 114 patients whose primary sites were Waldeyer's ring or nodal region, and received prescribed radiation dose and/or more than 2 cycles of chemotherapy. were selected to analyze the outcomes according to the treatment methods ( radiotherapy alone, chemotherapy alone. and combined treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy ). Results: Five year overall actuarial survival of the patients whose Primary site was Waldeyer's ring was $62.5\%.$ and that of the Patients whose primary site was nodal region was $53.8\%$ There was no statistically significant difference between survivals of both groups. Initial response rate to radiotherapy. chemotherapy, and combined treatment was $92\%,\;83\%,\;94\%$ respectively, and 5 year relapse free survival was $49.9\%,\;52.4\%,\;58.5\%$ respectively ( statistically not significant ). In the patients with stage I. 3 year relapse free survival of chemotherapy alone group was $75\%$ and superior to other treatment groups. In the Patients with stage II, combined treatment group revealed the best result with $60.1\%$ of 3 year relapse free survival. The effect of sequential schedule of each treatment method in the Patients who were treated by combined modality was analyzed and the sequence of primary chemotherapy + radiotherapy + maintenance chemotherapy showed the best result ( 3 year relapse free survival was $79.1\%).$ There was no significant survival difference between BACOP regimen and CHOP regimen. Response to treatment was only one significant (p(0.005) prognostic factor on univariate analysis and age and mass size was marginally significant ( p(0.1). On multivariate analysis, age (p=0.026) and mass size (p=0.013) were significant prognostic factor for the relapse free survival. Conclusion: In summary, the patients who have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck with stage I and mass size smaller than 10 cm, can be treated by chemotherapy alone, but remainder should be treated by combined treatment method and the best combination schedule was the sequence of initial chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and maintenance chemotherapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.62-69
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• 2012

Purpose: To evaluate the treatment outcome and prognostic factor of postoperative radiotherapy for extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Materials and Methods: Forty three patients with extremity STS were treated with conservative surgery and postoperative radiotherapy from January 1981 to December 2010 at Korea University Medical Center. Median total 60 Gy (range, 50 to 74.4 Gy) of radiation was delivered and 7 patients were treated with chemotherapy. Results: The median follow-up period was 70 months (range, 5 to 302 months). Twelve patients (27.9%) sustained relapse of their disease. Local recurrence occurred in 3 patients (7.0%) and distant metastases developed in 10 patients (23.3%). The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 69.2% and disease free survival was 67.9%. The 5-year local relapse-free survival was 90.7% and distant relapse-free survival was 73.3%. On univariate analysis, no significant prognostic factors were associated with development of local recurrence. Histologic grade (p = 0.005) and stage (p = 0.02) influenced the development of distant metastases. Histologic grade was unique significant prognostic factor for the OS on univariate and multivariate analysis. Severe acute treatment-related complications, Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grade 3 or 4, developed in 6 patients (14.0%) and severe late complications in 2 patients (4.7%). Conclusion: Conservative surgery with postoperative radiotherapy achieved a satisfactory rate of local control with acceptable complication rate in extremity STS. Most failures were distant metastases that correlate with tumor grade and stage. The majority of local recurrences developed within the field. Selective dose escalation of radiotherapy or development of effective systemic treatment might be considered.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.303-309
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• 1993

Between November 1983 and December 1992, 121 patients with non-small cell lung cancer were treated with radiotherapy alone or combined with chemotherapy in Inje University, Seoul Paik Hospital. Of these,97 patients were evaluable and analyzed retrospectively. Group 1 (n=62)was treated with radiotherapy alone and group 2 (n=35) combined with chemotherapy. There were 7 patients, 1 patient with stage I and II ,20 patients, 11 patients with stage IIIA,28 patients, 20 patients with stage IIIB, and 6 patients, 3 patients with stage IV, respectively. Ninety percent of patients received more than 5000 cGy of radiaton. Median survival of patients in group 1 was 9 months, group 2 was 15 months. Overall 2 year survival rates of group 1 and 2 were $37\%\;and\;27\%$, respectively. Relapse free survival rates at 2 year were $27\%\;and\;15\%$, respectively. Overall survival rates at 5 year for group 1 and 2 were $15\%\;and\;11\%$, and relapse free survival rates were $16\%\;and\;6\%,$ respectively. Median survival of complete and partial responders was 47 months in group 1,18 months in group 2, and those of stable or progression was 6 months,11 months, respectively. The proportion of locoregional relapse and distant metastasis was not significantly different between group 1 and 2. The majority of relapse developed within 2 years. Although 2 cases of severe esophagitis and myelosuppression were noted in group 2, the treatment related toxicity was relatively acceptable. Our analysis showed no statistically significant differences between the two treatment groups in terms of response rate, survival, and sites of relapse.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.204-212
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the disease-free survival and risk factors of recurrence in early breast cancer patients who have undergone breast conserving surgery and radiation therapy. Materials and Methods: From March 1997 to December 2002, 77 breast cancer patients who underwent breast conserving surgery and radiation therapy were reviewed retrospectively. The median follow-up time was 58.4 months (range $43.8{\sim}129.4$ months) and the mean subject age was 41 years. The frequency distribution of the different T stages, based on the tumor characteristics was 38 (49.3%) for T1, 28 (36.3%) for T2, 3 for T3, 7 for T is and 1 for an unidentified sized tumor. In addition, 52 patients (67.5%) did not have axillary lymph metastasis, whereas 14 patients (18.1%) had $1{\sim}3$ lymph node metastases and 3 (0.03%) had more than 4 lymph node metastases. The resection margin was negative in 59 patients, close (${\leq}2\;mm$) in 15, and positive in 4. All patients received radiation therapy at the intact breast using tangential fields with a subsequent electron beam boost to the tumor bed at a total dose ranging from 59.4 Gy to 66.4 Gy. Patients with more than four positive axillary lymph nodes received radiation therapy ($41.4{\sim}60.4\;Gy$) at the axillary and supraclavicular area. Chemotherapy was administered in 59 patients and tamoxifen or fareston was administered in 29 patients. Results: The 5 year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 98.08% and 93.49%, respectively. Of the 77 patients, a total of 4 relapses (5.2%), including 1 isolated supraclavicular relapse, 1 supraclavicular relapse with synchronous multiple distant relapses, and 2 distant relapses were observed. No cases of local breast relapses were observed. Lymph node metastasis or number of metastatic lymph nodes was not found to be statistically related with a relapse (p=0.3289) nor disease-free survival (p=0.1430). Patients with positive margins had a significantly shorter disease-free survival period (p<0.0001) and higher relapse rates (p=0.0507). However, patients with close margins were at equal risk of relapse and disease-free survival as with negative margins (p=1.000). Patients younger than 40 years of age had higher relapse rates (9.3% vs. 0%) and lower disease-free survival periods, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.1255). The relapse rates for patients with tumors was 14% for tumor stage T2, compared to 0% for tumor stage T1 tumors (p=0.0284). A univariate analysis found that disease-free survival and relapse rates, T stage, positive resection margin and mutation of p53 were significant factors for clinical outcome. Conclusion: The results of this study have shown that breast conservation surgery and radiation therapy in early breast cancer patients has proven to be a safe treatment modality with a low relapse rate and high disease-free survival rate. The patients with a positive margin, T2 stage, and mutation of p53 are associated with statistically higher relapse rates and lower disease-free survival.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.331-338
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• 1996

Background : Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and it's incidence has been rapidly increasing in Korea, too. The overall cure rate for non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) is approximately 10%, and the cure is generally achieved by surgery. Unfortunately, however, less than 15% of all patients and less than 25% of those who present with localized disease are candidates for curative surgical resection. So preoperative staging evaluation followed by curative resection has a major role in determining the long tenn prognosis of NSCLC patients. Therefore, we have conducted this study to compare pre-operative and post-operative staging and the long-tenn relapse-free survival rates in NSCLC patients according to its stage. Methods : We analyzed the medical records of 217 NSCLC patients who were operated on for curative resection in Seoul National University Hospital, retrospectively. Among them, 170 patients who were completely resected were selected to determine the long term relapse-free survival rates. Results : Among 217 NSCLC patients, men were 157 and women were 30. The median age was 58 and the difference between men and women was not found. The discrepancy rate between preoperative and postoperative staging was 40.1%. Its major cause was due to the difference of nodal staging. The 3-year relapse-free survival rates were 73%, 53% and 48% in stage I, II and IIIa, respectively. There was no difference of relapse-free duration in recurred patients according to the stage or histologic types. Conclusion : The postoperative pathologic staging determines the long tenn prognosis of patients with NSCLC after surgery, but current preoperative clinical staging can not predict the postoperative pathologic staging correctly. So the improved modality of staging system is required to predict the pathologic staging more correctly.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.78-83
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• 2008

Purpose : Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor in children and adolescents. Although survival rate of osteosarcoma patients has markedly improved, about 20-30% of patients still have a relapse. This study was aimed to find factors that influence postrelapse survival of osteosarcoma in childhood and adolescents. Methods : Between 1985 and 2004, of 461 patients who were diagnosed and treated as osteosarcoma in Korean Cancer Center Hospital, 180 patients with recurrent osteosarcoma were retrospectively reviewed. We examined survival rates and analyzed prognostic factors, such as relapse site, post-relapse treatment methods, pathologic response to neoadjuvnat chemotherapy, metastasis at first diagnosis, and relapse free interval. Results : The overall recurrence rate of patients with osteosarcoma was 39%. The 5-year and 10-year postrelapse survival rates in the recurrent osteosarcoma were 13% and 4%, respectively. The 5-year post-relapse survival rate was influenced by site of relapse (lung, 39%; local, 0%; lung & bone, 25%; others, 12%; P<0.05), relapse-free interval (<12 months, 13%; ${\geq}12$ months, 44%, P<0.05), and post-relapse treatment methods (with surgery, 38%; without surgery, 11%; P<0.05). Conclusion : The survival rate of recurrent case is very low after 10 years, so new second-line chemotherapy and active treatment is needed to increase survival. Aggressive surgery with the removal of recurrence sites combined with multi-agent chemotherapy could either cure patients with recurrent osteosarcoma or significantly prolong their survival.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5811-5816
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• 2013

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Molecular subtypes are important in determining prognosis. This study evaluated five-year disease-free survival among four molecular subtypes in patients with early stages of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective descriptive-analytical study, information on patients with breast cancer between 2001-2010 was evaluated. Five hundred ninety two patients in the early stages of breast cancer (stages 1 and 2) were selected to undergo anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Relapse, death or absence (censor) were considered as the end of the study. Patients based on ER, PR and HER-2 expression were divided into four subtypes (luminal A, luminal B, HER-2 enriched and triple negative). Information based upon questionnaire was analysed. To show the patients survival rate, life table and Kaplan-Meyer methods were used, and for comparing mean survival among different groups, the Log-Rank test was utilized. Results: Mean age at diagnosis was $47.9{\pm}9.6$. Out of the 592 patients, 586 were female (99%) and 6 were male (1%). Considering breast cancer molecular subtypes, 361 patients were in the luminal A group (61%), 49 patients in the luminal B group (8.3%), 48 patients in the HER-2 enriched group (8.1%) and 134 in the triple negative group (22.6%). Mean disease-free survival was 53.7 months overall, 55.4 months for the luminal A group, 48.3 months for the luminal B group, 43 months for the HER-2enriched group and 54.6 months for the triple negatives. Disease free survival differed significantly among the molecular subtypes (p value=0.0001). Conclusions: The best disease-free survival rate was among the luminal A subgroup and the worst disease-free survival rate was among the HER-2 enriched subgroup. Disease free survival rate in the HER-2 positive groups (luminal B and HER-2 enriched) was worse than the HER-2 negative groups (luminal A and triple negative).

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.91-95
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• 2008

Purpose: To evaluate the response and survival rate after three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy(3D-CRT) of patients with a solitary sternal relapse of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Seventeen patients between May 1996 and June 2005 were evaluated with the salvage 3D-CRT treatment of a solitary sternal relapse of breast cancer. The treatment fields included the gross tumor volume with 2 cm margins. The total radiation dose was $35.0{\sim}61.5$ Gy(biologic effective dose of $43.7{\sim}76.9Gy_{10}$ using an $\alpha/\beta$ ratio of 10 Gy), with a daily dose of $1.8{\sim}3.0$ Gy. The tumor response was evaluated by the change in maximum tumor size via follow up CT scans $1{\sim}3$ months after the completion of treatment. Results: An objective tumor response was achieved in all patients, with a complete response in 5 patients and a partial response in 12 patients. The 5-year overall survival rate was 51.9%(median survival time: 27 months), and the most important factor affecting overall survival was the disease-free interval(interval from primary surgery of breast cancer to the development of sternal metastasis): The 5-year overall survival rate was 61.8% for patients with a disease-free interval ${\geq}12$ months and 0.0% for patients with disease-free interval <12 months(p=0.03). Conclusion: The response to 3D-CRT was good in patients with solitary sternal relapse of breast cancer. Particularly, patients with long disease-free interval from primary surgery survived significantly longer than patients with short disease-free interval from primary surgery.