• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2016

Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cancer in the world and by far the most frequent cancer among women, with an estimated 1.67 million new cancer cases diagnosed in 2012 (25% of all cancers). Polygene expression analysis is used to predict the prognosis and determine the most appropriate treatment regimen. The objective of this study was to examine the gene expression profiles of SIRT3, HRAS, LSP1, SCUBE2 and AP2A2 in Iranian women with BC.A total of 136 patients including healthy controls were categorized into three groups based on the relapse of the disease. Expression of desired genes in formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissues collected from all groups of participants was analyzed via the RT PCR method. RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis were performed then real-time quantitative PCR was carried out. Gene expression analysis revealed that the expression of SIRT3 was equal among patient and control groups. LSP1 was down regulated in all patient groups relative to controls but reduced expression in the metastatic group relative to the non-metastatic one was not significant. HRAS was significantly overexpressed in total and metastatic tumor samples versus normal but not in non-metastatic cases. SCUBE2 expression showed significant over-expression in both overall tumor samples and the non-metastatic group as compared to normal tissues. Gene expression level of AP2A2 in all groups was not detectable. Our data are compatible with a tumor suppressor role of LSP1 related to potential prognostic factor for tumor recurrence and outcome. This study for the first time assayed the prognostic value and changes in the expression of SIRT3, LSP1, HRAS, SCUBE2 and AP2A2 genes in women with breast cancer in the Iranian population and findings confirmed potential biomarker and prognostic capability of these genes. Such expression profiling data can critically improve prognosis and treatment decisions in cancer patients.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.8-18
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to find and categorize the various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of spinal metastases that correlate with the type of primary cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance images of 30 patients with 169 spinal metastatic lesions from lung cancer (n = 56), breast cancer (n = 29), colorectal cancer (n = 20), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (n = 17), and stomach cancer (n = 47). The size, location, extent of invasion, signal intensity, margin, enhancement pattern, and osteoblastic or osteolytic characteristics of each metastatic tumor were analyzed. Results: The metastatic lesions from HCC were larger than those from the other primary tumors (P < 0.05) except for colorectal cancer (P = 0.268). Well-defined metastatic tumor margins were more frequently seen in lung cancer and breast cancer (P < 0.01). All but HCC showed a tendency to invade the vertebral body rather than the posterior elements (P < 0.02). Colorectal cancer and HCC showed a tendency toward extraosseous invasion without statistical significance. HCC showed a characteristic enhancement pattern of 'worms-in-a-bag'. Rim enhancement with a sclerotic center was only seen in spinal metastases from stomach cancer. Conclusion: Despite many overlapping imaging features, spinal metastases of various primary tumors display some characteristic MRI findings that can help identify the primary cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.119-126
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• 1985

To evaluate the performance characteristics of CA 19-9 radioimmunoassay and the clinical significance of serum CA 19-9 assay in patients with malignancy, serum CA 19-9 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay using monoclonal antibody in 135 normal controls, 81 patients with various untreated malignancy, 9 patients of postoperative colon cancer without recurrence and 20 patients with benign gastrointestinal diseases, who visited Seoul National University Hospital from June, 1984 to March, 1985. The results were as follows; 1) The CA 19-9 radioimmunoassay was simple to perform and can be completed in one work day. And the between-assay reproducibility and the assay recovery were both excellent. 2) The mean serum CA 19-9 level in 135 normal controls was $8.4{\pm}4.2U/mL$. Normal upper limit of serum CA 19-9 was defined as 21.0 U/mL. 4 out of 135(3.0%) normal controls showed elevated CA 19-9 levels above the normal upper limit. 3) One out of 20(5.0%) patients with benign gastrointestinal diseases showed elevated serum CA 19-9 level above the normal upper limit. 4) In 81 patients with various' untreated malignancy, 41 patients(50.6%) showed elevated serum CA 19-9 levels. 66.7% of 18 patients with colorectal cancer, 100% of 2 patients with pancreatic cancer, 100% of 3 patients with common bile duct cancer, 47.1% of 17 patients with stomach cancer, 28.6% of 28 patients with hepatoma and 60.0% of 5 other gastrointestinal tract cancers showed elevated serum CA 19-9 levels. 5) The sensitivities of serum CA 19-9 related to resectability in colorectal and stomach cancer were 33.3% in resectable colorectal cancer, 83.3% in unresectable colorectal cancer, 41.7% in resectable stomach cancer, 60.0% in unresectable stomach cancer respectively. 6) The sensitivity of serum CA 19-9 in 9 patients of postoperative colorectal cancer without recurrence were 33.3% and significantly decreased compared with that of untreated colorectal cancer, 66.7% (p<0.05). 7) In patients with colorectal cancer, simultaneous measurement of serum CA 19-9 and serum CEA levels increased sensitivities. From above results, we concluded that serum CA 19-9 radioimmunoassay is simple to perform and reproducible, and is a useful indicator reflecting tumor extent and responses to the treatment in patients with malignancy.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 2005

The two major isoflavones in soy, genistein and daidzein, are well known to prevent hormone-dependent cancers by their anti estrogenic activity. The exact molecular mechanisms for the protective action are, however, not provided yet. It has been reported that genistein and daidzein have a potential anticancer activity through their antiproliferative effect in many hormone-dependent cancer cell lines. Transforming growth $factor-\beta1(TGF-\beta1)$ has also been found to have cell growth inhibitory effect, especially in mammary epithelial cells. This knowledge led to a hypothetical mechanism that the soy isoflavones-induced growth inhibitory effect can be derived from the regulation of $TGF-\beta1$ and $TGF-\beta$ receptors. In order to test this hypothesis, the effects of the soy isoflavones at various concentrations and periods on the expression of $TGF-\beta1$and $TGF-\beta$ receptors were investigated by using Northern blot analysis in human breast carcinoma epithelial cell lines, an estrogen receptor positive cell line (MCF-7) and an estrogen receptor negative cell line (MDA-MB-231). As a result, only genistein has shown a profound dose-dependent effect on $TGF-\beta1$ expression in the $ER^+$ cell line within the range of doses tested, and the expression levels are correspondent to their inhibitory activities of cell growth. Moreover, daidzein showed down-regulated $TGF-\beta1$ expression at a low dose, the cell growth proliferation was promoted at the same condition. Therefore, antiproliferative activity of the soy isoflavones can be mediated by $TGF-\beta1$ expression, and the effects are mainly, if not all, occurred by ER dependent pathway. The expression of $TGF-\beta$ receptors was induced at a lower dose than the one for $TGF-{\beta}1$ induction regardless of the presence of ER, and the expression patterns are similar to those of the cell growth inhibition. These results indicated that the regulation of $TGF-\beta$ receptor expression as well, prior to $TGF-\beta1$ expression, may be involved in the antiproliferative activity of soy isoflavones. Little or no expression of $TGF-\beta$ receptors was found in the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting refractory properties of the cells to growth inhibitory effect of the $TGF-\beta$. The soy isoflavones can seemingly restore the sensitivity of growth inhibitory responses to $TGF-\beta1$ by re-inducing $TGF-\beta$ receptors expression. In conclusions, our findings presented in this study show that the antitumorigenic activity of the soy isoflavones could be mediated by not only $TGF-\beta1$induction but $TGF-\beta$ receptor restoration. Thus, soy isoflavones could be good model molecules to develop new nonsteroidal antiestrogenic chemopreventive agents, associated with, regulation of $TGF-\beta$ and its receptors.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2005

목적: 다양한 발생부위에서 발생한 두경부종양을 대상으로 3차원 입체조형치료를 시도하여 표적체적 내 선량균일성과 주변장기의 선량분포변하를 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1995년 1월부터 1996년 12월까지 3차원 입체조형치료를 시행 받은 38명에 분석을 시행하였다. 3차원 입체조형 치료는 동일평면 또는 비동일평면상에서 4개에서 14개의 조사면 수로 시행되었다. 3차원 입체조형치료계획시 표적 체적에 $50{\sim}82Gy$의 선량을 처방하였고, 이하선 안구, 척수, 측두하악관절 등을 보호하고자 하였다. 3차원 입체조형치료 계획을 기존의 2차원 치료계획과 비교하기 위하여 표적체적과 주변정상자기의 선량체적히스토그램, 평균선량, 표적체적 내에서 처방선량의 $95{\sim}105%$의 선량이 분포하는 체적을 비교하였다 치료계획에서 실제 치료시까지 소용되는 비용효과를 비교하였다. 대상환자의 평균추적기간은 34개월이었다. 결 과: 3차원 입체조형시료는 2차원 치료에 비해서 표적체적내 평균선량이 평균 10% 증가하였고, 주변정장기에 조사되는 방사선량이 현저히 감소됨을 관찰할 수 있었고 표적체적에 대한 등선량 곡선 분포가 우수함을 관찰할 수 있었다. 결 론: 3차원 입체조형치료는 두경부종양에서 표적체적의 선량 균일성이 증가하였고, 주변장기의 보존이 가능할 것으로 생각되었다. 따라서 본 저자들은 3차원 입체조형치료가 두경부종양에서 국소제어율과 무질병생존율 향상에 기여할 것으로 생각하였다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2005

Background : Cancer is the leading cause of death and one of the largest burdens of disease in Korea. In 1996, the Ten year Plan for Cancer Control was formulated and the government then adopted the plan as a national policy. As part of this plan, the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) for Medicaid recipients was formulated, and the government adapted this in 1999. For low-income beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC), the screening program has been in place since 2002. In 2002, the target cancers of NCSP were stomach, breast and cervical cancer. This study was conducted to examine the relationships between the participation rate, the abnormal screening rate and the socio-demographic factors associated with participation in the screening program. Methods : To analyze the participation rate and abnormal rate for the NCSP, we used the 2002 NCSP records. The information on the socio-demographic factors was available from the database of the beneficiaries in the NHIC and Medicaid. Results : The participation rate of the Medicaid beneficiaries for the stomach, breast and cervical cancer screening were 9.2%, 15.5% and 15.0%, respectively, and 11.3% and 12.5%, except cervical cancer which wasn't be included in the NCSP, for the beneficiaries of the NHIC. The abnormal rate of stomach, breast and cervical cancer screening were 25.7%, 11.2% and 21.0%, respectively, for the beneficiaries of Medicaid and 42.6% and 19.4% for the beneficiaries of the NHIC. On the multiple logistic regression analysis, gender, age and place of residence were significantly associated with participation rates of the NCSP. For stomach cancer, women participated in the NCSP more than men. The participation rate was higher among people in their fifties and sixties than for those people in their forties and those people over seventy years in age. For the breast and cervical cancer, people in their fifties were more likely to participate in the NCSP than people in their forties and people over sixty. For the place of residence, people in the rural areas participated more than those people in any other places. Conclusions : The above results show that the participation rate and abnormal rate were significantly associated with the socio-demographic factors. To improve the participation rate for the NCSP, more attention should be given to the underserved groups.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.505-511
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• 2007

Objectives : While cervical cancer is one of the leading cancers among women worldwide, there are a number of effective early detection tests available. However, the participation rates in cervical cancer screening among Korean women remain low. After the nationwide efforts in 1988 and thereafter to encourage participation in cervical cancer screening, few studies have investigated the effects of socioeconomic inequality on participation in cervical cancer screening. The purpose of this study was to investigate 1) the level of socioeconomic disparities in receiving cervical cancer screening by age group and 2) if there was an improvement in reducing these disparities between 1995 and 2001. Methods : Using data from the Korean National Health Status, Health Behavior and Belief Survey in 1995, the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1998 and 2001 (sample sizes of 2,297, 3,738, and 3,283), age-standardized participation rates were calculated according to education level, equivalized household income, and job status. Odds ratios and the relative inequality index (RII) were also calculated after controlling for age. Results : Women with lower education levels were less likely to attend the screening test, and the disparities by education level were most pronounced among women aged 60 years and older. The RIIs among women 60 years and older were 3.64, 4.46, and 8.64 in 1995, 1998, and 2001, respectively. Higher rates of participation were reported among those in the highest income category, which was more notable among the middle aged women (40s and 50s). An inconsistent trend in the rate of participation in cervical cancer screening by occupational level was found. Conclusions : Indicators of socioeconomic position seem to have varying impacts on the inequalities in the rates of participation in cervical cancer screening according to age group. These results demonstrate the need for more aggressive and age-based interventions and policy programs to eliminate the remaining inequalities.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 1998

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of curative radiotherapy in the management of supralottic cancer. Materials and Methods : Twenty-one Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the supralottis were treated with radiotherapy at Gyeongsang National University Hospital between 1590 and 1994. Median follow-up period was 36 months and 95% were observed for at least 2 years. Results : Actuarial survival rate at 5 years was 39.3% for 21 patients. The 5-rear actuarial survival rate was 75.0% in Stage I, 42.9% in Stage II, 33.3% in Stage III and 28.6% in Stage IV(p=0.54), The 5-year local control rate was 52.0% for 21 patients. The 5-rear local control rate was 75.0% in Stage I, 57.1% in Stage II, 66.7% in Stage III, and 28.6% in Stage IV(p=0.33). Double primary cancer was developed in 3 patients and those were all esophageal cancers. Conclusion : In early stage(Stage I and II) supralottic cancer, curative radiotherapy would be a treatment of choice and surgery would be better to be reserved for salvage of radiotherapy failure. In advanced stage(Stage III and IV), radiotherapy alone is inadequate for curative therapy and combination with surgery should be done in operable patients. This report emphasizes the importance of esophagoscopy and esophagogram at the follow-up of patients with supralottic cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.526-532
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• 1995

Introduction : $^{99m}Tc$-(V)-DMSA is a tumor seeking agent that has been used to image medullary carcinoma of thyroid, soft tissue sarcoma and lung cancer. This study was designed to assess the clinical role of $^{99m}Tc$-(V)-DMSA in the diagnosis of head and neck cancers. We has evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of planar and SPECT imaging using $^{99m}Tc$-(V)-DMSA. Patients and Method : Sixty-eight patients with head and neck mass were included in this study. All subjects were diagnosed by biopsy or surgery. Planar and SPECT images were obtained at 2 or 3 hour after intravenous injection of 740 MBq(20 mCi) $^{99m}Tc$-(V)-DMSA. Seventeen patients also underwent SPECT in aging using dual head camera. Result : The diagnostic sensitivity of $^{99m}Tc$-(V)-DMSA planar and SPECT imaging was 65% and 90%, and specificity was 80% and 66%, respectively. The sensitivity of planar imaging in squamous cell carcinoma was similar to overall sensitivity Six metastatic lesion were first diagnosed by scintigraphy. But benign lesions such as Kikuchi syndrome, tuberculous lymphadenitis also revealed increased uptake. Conclusion : $^{99m}Tc$-(V)-DMSA imaging seems to be a promising method in the evaluation of patients with head and neck mass. We recommend SPECT imaging to delineate anatomic localization of the lesion.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.145-152
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• 2007

Transgenic mice were generated by microinjecting a plasmid DNA containing the SV40 (simian virus 40) large T antigen (Tag) gene fused with mouse albumin promoter/enhancer sequences into fertilized one-cell mouse embryos. Among eleven founder transgenic animals, four developed hepatocellular carcinoma, two showed kidney cancer and one developed skin and brain tumors. Three stable transgenic lines, #1-2, #1-6 and #1-11 were established. Members of the lines #1-6 and #1-11 reproducibly developed liver tumors by 8 to 10 weeks of age but did not exhibit any phenotypic changes in other tissues. Histological changes loading to liver tumor formation occurred with predictable kinetics and could be classified into three distinct stages; (a) newborn to 3 weeks of age, characterized by hyperplastic hepatocytes with reduced amounts of cytoplasm without any nuclear alterations, (b) between 4 to 8 weeks of age, characterized by diffuse liver cell dysplasia without observable tumor nodules, and (c) 9 weeks of age and thereafter, characterized by hepatocellular carcinomas in the background of extensive liver dysplasia. Metastasis to the lung from a liver carcinoma was observed in #1-11 founder animal. This transgenic mouse system displays similarities with human liver cancers in a number of aspects and provides a useful model for the study of molecular events involved in hepatocarcinogenesis.