• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.162-167
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• 2020

Disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis (DPL) is a very rare benign disease, characterized by multiple solid subperitoneal or peritoneal smooth muscle nodules in abdominopelvic cavity and malignant transformation is extremely rare. Also, uterine smooth muscle tumors of unknown malignant potential (STUMP) is a rare tumor, which is regarded as subclassification in uterine smooth muscle tumors between benign and malignant criteria. Pathogenesis of DPL is uncertain, but increasing evidence of iatrogenic cause including laparoscopic myomectomy has been reported. We report a case of a 28-year-old female with previous history of laparoscopic myomectomy diagnosed with DPL with atypical feature and concurrent uterine STUMP using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as present a review of the literature.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.54-57
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• 2014

Gastric cancer is a major cause of cancer-related mortality. At the time of diagnosis, majority of the patients usually have unresectable or metastatic disease. The most common sites of metastases are the liver and the peritoneum, but in the advanced stages, there may be metastases to any region of the body. Bone marrow is an important metastatic site for solid tumors, and the prognosis in such cases is poor. In gastric cancer cases, bone marrow metastasis is usually observed in younger patients and in those with poorly differentiated tumors. Prognosis is worsened owing to the poor histomorphology as well as the occurrence of pancytopenia. The effect of standard chemotherapy is unknown, as survival is limited to a few weeks. This report aimed to evaluate 5 gastric cancer patients with bone marrow metastases to emphasize the importance of this condition.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

Aerobic glycolysis has been the most important hypothesis in cancer metabolism. It seems to be related to increased bioenergetic and biosynthetic needs in rapidly proliferating cancer cells. To this end, F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), a glucose analog, became widely popular for the detection of malignancies combined with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Although the potential roles of FDG PET/CT in primary tumor detection are not fully established, it seems to have a limited sensitivity in detecting early gastric cancer and mainly signet ring or non-solid types of advanced gastric cancer. In evaluating lymph node metastases, the location of lymph nodes and the degree of FDG uptake in primary tumors appear to be important factors affecting the diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT. In spite of the limited sensitivity, the high specificity of PET/CT for lymph node metastases may play an important role in changing the extent of lymphadenectomy or reducing futile laparotomies. For peritoneal metastases, PET/CT seems to have a poorer sensitivity but a better specificity than CT. The roles of PET/CT in the evaluation of other distant metastases are yet to be known. Studies including primary tumors with low FDG uptake or peritoneal recurrence seem suffer from poorer diagnostic performance for the detection of recurrent gastric cancer. There are only a few reports using FDG PET/CT to predict response to neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. A complete metabolic response seems to be predictive of more favorable prognosis.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a newly established treatment for solid tumors, involves the systemic administration of a tumor localizing photosensitizer that is only activated when exposed to light of appropriate wavelength. Photoactivation of photosensitizer in the presence of oxygen results in the formation of highly cytotoxic molecular species, which precipitates necrosis. PDT has now become a promising means for the treatment of cancer due to its specificity, relatively minimal side effects, and inexpensive. However, the application of PDT has been restricted to the treatment of superficial lesions or the use of interstitial light delivery. A single photon generally activates the photochemical reaction in traditional PDT. However the use of multi photon excitation, where two or more photons simultaneously excite a photosensitizer, allows for the use of wavelengths twice as long. Such wavelengths exhibit better transmittance through tissue and thereby deeper penetration is achieved. This paper will review theoretical principles of multi photon excitation, challenges associated with multi photon PDT and update the current and future role of multi photon PDT in cancer.

• 생체재료학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.211-220
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• 2018

Background: Recently, cancer immunotherapy has become standard for cancer treatment. Immunotherapy not only treats primary tumors, but also prevents metastasis and recurrence, representing a major advantage over conventional cancer treatments. However, existing cancer immunotherapies have limited clinical benefits because cancer antigens are often not effectively delivered to immune cells. Furthermore, unlike lymphoma, solid tumors evade anti-cancer immunity by forming an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). One approach for overcoming these limitations of cancer immunotherapy involves nanoparticles based on biomaterials. Main body: Here, we review in detail recent trends in the use of nanoparticles in cancer immunotherapy. First, to illustrate the unmet needs for nanoparticles in this field, we describe the mechanisms underlying cancer immunotherapy. We then explain the role of nanoparticles in the delivery of cancer antigens and adjuvants. Next, we discuss how nanoparticles can be helpful within the immune-suppressive TME. Finally, we summarize current and future uses of nanoparticles with image-guided interventional techniques in cancer immunotherapy. Conclusion: Recently developed approaches for using nanoparticles in cancer immunotherapy have enormous potential for improving cancer treatment. Cancer immunotherapy based on nanoparticles is anticipated not only to overcome the limitations of existing immunotherapy, but also to generate synergistic effects via cooperation between nanoparticles and immune cells.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제66권4호
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• pp.356-381
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• 2023

Although immunotherapy has been broadly successful in the treatment of hematologic malignancies and a subset of solid tumors, its clinical outcomes for glioblastoma are still inadequate. The results could be due to neuroanatomical structures such as the blood-brain-barrier, antigenic heterogeneity, and the highly immunosuppressive microenvironment of glioblastomas. The antitumor efficacy of endogenously activated effector cells induced by peptide or dendritic cell vaccines in particular has been insufficient to control tumors. Effector cells, such as T cells and natural killer (NK) cells can be expanded rapidly ex vivo and transferred to patients. The identification of neoantigens derived from tumor-specific mutations is expanding the list of tumor-specific antigens for glioblastoma. Moreover, recent advances in gene-editing technologies enable the effector cells to not only have multiple biological functionalities, such as cytokine production, multiple antigen recognition, and increased cell trafficking, but also relieve the immunosuppressive nature of the glioblastoma microenvironment by blocking immune inhibitory molecules, which together improve their cytotoxicity, persistence, and safety. Allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells edited to reduce graft-versus-host disease and allorejection, or induced pluripotent stem cell-derived NK cells expressing CARs that use NK-specific signaling domain can be a good candidate for off-the-shelf products of glioblastoma immunotherapy. We here discuss current progress and future directions for T cell and NK cell therapy in glioblastoma.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.307-314
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• 2014

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), which belongs to the Ewing's sarcoma (ES) family of tumors, is mainly seen in children and young adults. PNETs are extremely rare in the maxilla. Here, we report a case of PNET of the left maxillary sinus in an elderly male. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a slightly enhanced solid mass occupying the left maxillary sinus and infiltrating into the retroantral space. A partial maxillectomy was performed. Despite postoperative chemotherapy, follow-up computed tomography (CT) and MRI revealed a nodal metastasis in the submandibular space. Neck dissection was performed. However, the patient died 10 months after the second surgery because of distant metastasis to the liver. MRI and CT were particularly useful in detecting the extent of the tumor, recurrence, and metastasis. Further, a literature review of the previously reported PNET cases of the maxilla was carried out. In this paper, we also discuss the current approach for the diagnosis and management of these tumors.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.133-140
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• 2010

목 적: 방사선 치료 후에 방사선조사범위내에서 재발한 골반암 환자들을 대상으로 나선형 토모테라피를 이용한 재 치료를 시행한 후 그 효과 및 안전성에 대하여 후향적 분석을 시도하였다. 대상 및 방법: 총 14명의 환자를 대상으로 하였으며, 남녀 비는 1 : 1이었고, 평균연령은 51세였다. 직장암이 8명, 자궁경부암이 5명, 원발부위를 알 수 없는 경우가 1명이었다. 13명의 환자들이 재발 전에 수술을 받은 적이 있고, 환자들의 골반부위에 조사된 방사선량의 중앙값은 50.4 Gy였다. 재발 당시 종양크기의 중앙값은 3.5 cm (2.0~7.5cm)였으며, 재발이 발견된 후 항암화학요법을 먼저 받은 경우가 9명, 고강도초음파치료를 받은 경우가 1명이었다. 나머지 4명은 재발 후에 다른 치료는 시행하지 않은 상태에서 토모테라피를 이용한 재치료를 받았다. 재치료 당시 종양으로 인한 통증을 호소한 환자는 7명이었으며, 종양 표지자가 증가해있던 경우는 8명이었다. 최초 방사선 치료와 재치료의 간격은 중앙값 19.9개월(5.0~75.4개월)이었다. 토모테라피를 이용한 재치료시 육안적종양체적, 임상적표적체적 및 계획용표적체적에 총4~5주간 20~25회에 걸쳐, 각각 중앙값 50 Gy, 47.8 Gy 그리고 45 Gy의 방사선이 조사되었다. 치료 전 매일 초고압전산화단층촬영(megavoltage computed tomography)을 통하여 X, Y, Z축 및 회전각도에 대한 online correction을 시행하였다. 치료 후 반응평가는 Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors ver. 1.0을 이용하였으며, 국소종양조절기간은 치료 종료 후 Kaplan-Meyer법으로 계산하였고, 치료 후 합병증의 평가는 Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event ver. 3.0을 이용하였다. 결 과: 추적기간의 중앙값은 17.3개월(3.0~38.3개월)이었으며, 영상학적반응율은 64.3%(완전관해, 7.1%; 부분관해, 57.2%)였다. 치료 전 통증이 있었던 7명의 환자 중 6명에서 통증이 완화되어 85.7%의 통증완화율을 보였으며, 종양 표지자가 증가되어 있던 8명 중 5명(62.5%)에서 감소가 일어났다. 국소종양조절기간은 중앙값 25.8개월(95% 신뢰구간, 6.12~45.5개월)이었으며, 치료 후 국소재발이 8명(57.1%), 원격전이가 3명(21.4%) 그리고 국소재발과 원격전이가 동시에 일어난 경우가 1명(7.1%)이었다. 합병증으로는 대부분 grade I 혹은 II의 급성 피부염, 직장염, 방광염 등이 나타났지만, 만성 합병증이나 grade IV 이상의 급성 합병증은 나타나지 않았다. 결 론: 방사선치료 후 방사선조사 범위 내에서 재발한 골반암에서 나선형 토모테라피를 이용한 재치료는 비교적 안전하고 효과적인 고식적 치료법이라고 생각된다. 그러나 치료 효과를 좀 더 높이기 위해서 혹은 적은 환자수, 다양한 질환 그리고 후향적 분석이라는 본 연구의 문제점을 극복하기 위해서는 많은 환자들을 대상으로 한 전향적 임상연구가 필요할 것이다.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.41-51
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• 2008

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common malignant salivary gland tumor which compromises about 6$\sim$8% of all tumors followed by the adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and adenocarcinoma. Most deaths from salivary carcinomas are caused by recurrent or metastatic lesions that are resistant to conventional therapy. Therefore, knowledge of cellular properties and tumor-host interactions that influence the vascular metastasis is important for the design of more effective therapy of salivary carcinomas. Neoangiogenesis is essential for tumor growth, which is postulated to be fundamentally dependent on the induction of stromal neovascularization. However, how neovascularization takes place in live tissue has not been fully established, especially in recruitment and differentiation of endothelial cells in the salivary gland tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a heparin-binding, dimeric polypeptide growth factor known to exert its mitogenic activity specifically on endothelial cells. VEGF has been shown th be directly involved in angiogenesis, which in essential for the pathogenesis of many solid tumors. von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a large multimeric protein synthesized by megakaryocytes and endothelial cells that enable platelets to adhere to exposed subendothelium and, as well, to respond to changes in the blood flow. Recent studies suggest that increased levels of vWF correlate with progression of disease, metastasis, or survival time and thus may have a prognostic significance. vWF is explained as an acute phase proteins which is increased in cancer or as a result of increased endothelial cell synthesis associated with tumor-induced angiogenesis. Due to adhesive properties of vWF, its increased concentrations may also contribute metastasis of tumor. In this study, we determined the mRNA expression of VEGF and vWF in salivary ACC, MEC and pleomorphic adenoma by in situ hybridization. As a result, stronger expression of VEGF and vWF was seen in salivary ACC and MEC which has more invasive nature than the salivary benign tumor.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.1061-1075
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• 2016

Context: There are no recent authoritative data about incidence and prevalence of various types of cancers in Pakistan. Aim: To determine the frequency of malignant tumors seen in our practice and provide a foundation for building a comprehensive cancer care strategy. Materials and Methods: 10,000 successive cases of solid malignant tumors reported in 2014 were included. All cases had formalin fixed, paraffin embedded specimens available and diagnosis was based on histological examination of H&E stained slides plus ancillary studies at the Section of Histopathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. The latest WHO classifications were used along with the latest CAP protocols for reporting and the most updated TNM staging. Results: There were 9,492 (94.9%) primary tumors while 508 (5.1%) were metastatic. Some 5,153 (51.5%) were diagnosed in females and 4,847 (48.5%) in males. The commonest malignant tumors in females were breast (32%), esophagus (7%), lymphomas (6.8%), oral cavity (6.7%) and ovary (4.8%), while in males they were oral cavity (13.9%), lymphomas (12.8%), colorectum (7.9%), stomach (6.9%) and esophagus (6.6%). Malignant tumors were most common in the 5th, 6th and 7th decades. About 8% were seen under 20 years of age. Conclusions: Oral cavity and gastrointestinal cancers continue to be extremely common in both genders. Breast and esophageal cancers are prevalent in females. Lung and prostate cancer are less common than in the west. Ovarian cancer was very common but cervix cancer was less so.