A Clinical Evaluation of the Tumor Volume Doubling Time in Primary Bronchogenic Carcinoma

폐암환자에서 본 Tumor Doubling Time 의 임상적 의의

  • 홍기우 (가톨릭의대 흉부외과학교실) ;
  • 이홍균 (가톨릭의대 흉부외과학교실)
  • Published : 1973.06.01

Abstract

The definition of cancer, its diagnosis and its prognosis all depend upon description of growth. To the layman a synonym for cancer is a "growth". There are no quantitative terms for the description of growth or growth rate in clinical use. There has been no attempt to assign values that would define "rapidly" or "slowly" growing. Estimates of growth potentiality are implied in the descriptive phrases "poorly differentiated" or "well differentiated", "highly malignant" or "low grade malignancy". and in systems of grading. These qualifying terms represent a personal impression, clinically useful in prognosis, but relative in nature. They do not lend themselves to uniform application or precise measurement for purpose of comparison. Growth is related to size and time. The volume of tumor depends upon the duration of the period of growth and the rate of growth. If the interval and change in volume are known. the average growth rate can be determined. If the growth rate is determined, and assumed to be constant., the duration of a given tumor and the time of inception can be estimated. The commonest concept of the origin of cancer is that as a result of a mutation involving a single cell, succeeding divisions of cells establish a colony with the characteristics recognizable as cancer. If the growth rate of the hypothetical tumor were constant it could be described in terms of "tumor volume doubling time". In the department of thoracic surgery of St. Mary hospital in Catholic Medical College, a clinical evaluation for the growth rate, degree of malignancy, resectability and prognosis was done on a total 24 cases of primary bronchogenic carcinoma which contour was significant on the chest X-ray film as possible estimating the tumor volume doubling time. The following results were obtained: 1. In the cases of 6.0cm or more in diameter of minor size at operation the resectability rate was lower and in the cases of 60 days or more in the tumor or volume doubling time the resectability rate was higher. 2. If differentiation of cancer cells was lower graded in tissue pathology, the tumor volume was shorter and the resectability rate was lower. 3. The tumor volume doubling time of the primary bronchogenic carcinoma occured more over 60 years of age was slightly shorter than under 60 years of age. 4. The tumor size at operation was more important to evaluate the survival time and prognosis than the tumor volume doubling time because the tumor growth was not always constant, we presume.mor volume doubling time because the tumor growth was not always constant, we presume.

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