• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.322-331
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• 1995

Introduction: This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of simultaneous determination of 3 tumor markers {serum carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC Ag) and neuron specific enolase(NSE)} in lung cancer patients. Method: In 113 patients with primary lung cancer(70 with squamous cell carcinoma, 30 with adenocarcinoma, 13 with small cell carcinoma) and 103 patients with benign lung diseases, serum CEA and NSE were measured by enzyme immunoassay, and SCC Ag was measured by microparticle enzyme immunoassay. Results: 1) The mean serum levels of 3 tumor markers were significantly higher in lung cancer groups than benign lung disease groups respectively(p=0.001). 2) In squamous cell carcinoma, the SCC Ag was elevated in 67%, in adenocarcinoma CEA was elevated in 77% and in small cell carcinoma NSE was elevated in 77%, but there were no significant differences according to the stage of each cancer cell types. 3) CEA was the most sensitive marker, but nonspecific to cancer types. SCC Ag was less sensitive than other markers, but more specific toward squamous cell carcinoma, and NSE was more specific to primary lung cancer. 4) As the number of positive tumor markers was increased, the relative possibility of lung cancer was also increased. If two markers were positive, it increased to 77%, and if three markers were positive it increased to 90%. Conclusion: The simultaneous measurement of serum CEA, SCC Ag and NSE would provide additional information for the diagnosis of lung cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.465-484
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• 2004

Background : Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) inhibits the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by inducing apoptosis. Methods : In this study, we investigated whether hypermethylation of IGFBP-3 promoter play an important role in the loss of IGFBP-3 expression in NSCLC. We also studied the mechanisms that mediate the silencing of IGFBP-3 expression in the cell lines which have hypermethylated IGFBP-3 promoter. Results : The IGFBP-3 promoter has hypermethylation in 7 of 15 (46.7%) NSCLC cell lines and 16 (69.7%) of 23, 7 (77.8%) of 9, 4 (80%) of 5, 4 (66.7 %) of 6, and 6 (100%) of 6 tumor specimens from patients with stage I, II, IIIA, IIIB, and IV NSCLC, respectively. The methylation status correlated with the level of protein and mRNA in NSCLC cell lines. Expression of IGFBP-3 was restored by the demethylating agent 5'-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5'-aza-dC) in a subset of NSCLC cell lines. The Sp-1/ Sp-3 binding element in the IGFBP-3 promoter, important for promoter activity, was methylated in the NSCLC cell lines which have reduced IGFBP-3 expression and the methylation of this element suppressed the binding of the Sp-1 transcription factor. A ChIP assay showed that the methylation status of the IGFBP-3 promoter influenced the binding of Sp-1, methyl-CpG binding protein-2 (MeCP2), and histone deacetylase (HDAC) to Sp-1/Sp-3 binding element, which were reversed by by 5'-aza-dC. In vitro methylation of the IGFBP-3 promoter containing the Sp-1/Sp-3 binding element significantly reduced promoter activity, which was further suppressed by the overexpression of MeCP2. This reduction in activity was rescued by 5'-aza-dC. Conclusion : These findings indicate that hypermethylation of the IGFBP-3 promoter is one mechanism by which IGFBP-3 expression is silenced and MeCP2, with recruitment of HDAC, may play a role in silencing of IGFBP-3 expression. The frequency of this abnormality is also associated with advanced stages among the patients with NSCLC, suggesting that IGFBP-3 plays an important role in lung carcinogenesis/progression and that the promoter methylation status of IGFBP-3 may be a marker for early molecular detection and/or for monitoring chemoprevention efforts.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.662-665
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• 2009

A 65-year-old-male had a mass in the oral cavity, and this was ultimately determined to be squamous cell carcinoma and he underwent wide excision for it. Postoperatively, he underwent the staging work up; this showed that he had other cancers in the esophagus, stomach and lung. We performed a curative resection of all the lesions simultaneously. We report here on a case of synchronous multiple cancers of the esophagus, stomach, lung and oral cavity.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.674-679
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• 2007

Background: Surgical resection is accepted widely as the standard therapy for complete resectable pulmonary metastases. The number of cases of pulmonary metastasectomy and its survival rate is increasing due to the development of the therapeutic modalities. We attempted to analyze the survival rate and prognosis factors of pulmonary metastasectomy during the last 10 years. Material and Method: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 89 patients who underwent 96 procedures of pulmonary metastasectomy between January 1996 and December 2005. The factors that may influence the long term prognosis such as completeness of resection, the type of primary cancer, the disease-free interval, the number and size of metastasis and the laterality were investigated. Result: There was no operative mortality. The mean disease free interval (DFI) was $29.6{\pm}27.9$ months and there were 3 cases of synchronous metastasis (3.4%). The overall 3, 5 and 10 year survival rate was 52.5%, 32.1% and 20.7%, respectively. The median survival time was 38 months. The 5-year survival rate according to the IRLM appraisal was 63.5%, 33.3%, 22.1% and 0% for stage I, II, III and IV, respectively Univariate analysis showed a better prognosis for patients with a disease free interval of 36 months or more, unilateral metastasis and 4 or less metastases. Conclusion: The survival rate for completely resectable pulmonary metastasectomy was favorable. The disease free interval, laterality and the number of metastasis were the prognosis factors.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.256-261
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• 2009

Purpose: With the development of diagnostic techniques, second primary neoplasms such as synchronous or metachronous cancers in gastric cancer patients are being increasingly found. In this study, we investigated the clinicopathological features and clinical significance of gastric neoplasms combined with synchronous and metachronous cancers. Materials and Methods: 1,048 patients who were diagnosed with gastric cancer in Chosun University Hospital from January 1998 to March 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: 38 of the 1,048 patients with gastric cancer (3.6%) had synchronous and metachronous cancers. Of the 38 patients, 16 patients (42.1%) had synchronous cancer and 22 patients (57.9%) had metachronous cancer. The average time interval between gastric cancer and the secondary primary cancer was $27.08{\pm}31.25$ months. The most common second primary neoplasm was lung cancer (8/38, 21.1%), followed by colorectal cancer (8/38, 21.1%). Among the 27 patients who underwent surgical resection for gastric cancer, 5 patients (18.5%) were in the synchronous group and 22 patients (81.5%) were in the metachronous group. The mean survival time of the 38 patients was 49.8 months. The mean survival time was 24.6 months for the synchronous cancer patients and 68.1 month for the metachronous cancer patients. The 3 year survival rate of the synchronous group and the metachronous group was 33.3% and 81.1%, respectively. Conclusion: We must pay attention on the preoperative workup for synchronous cancer and on the postoperative follow-up for metachronous cancer in gastric cancer patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.499-505
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• 2010

Background: There have been several reports using animal experiments that CD1-restricted T-cells have a key role in tumor immunity. To address this issue, we studied the expression of markers for CD1c+ myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) isolated from peripheral blood in the clinical setting. Material and Method: A total of 24 patients with radiologically suspected or histologically confirmed lung cancer who underwent pulmonary resection were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided according to histology findings into three groups: primary adenocarcinoma of lung (PACL), primary squamous cell carcinoma of lung (PSqCL) and benign lung disease (BLD). We obtained 20 mL of peripheral venous blood from patients using heparin-coated syringes. Using flow-cytometry after labeling with monoclonal antibodies, data acquisition and analysis were done. Result: The ratio of CD1c+CD19- dendritic cells to CD1c+ dendritic cells were not significantly different between the three groups. CD40 (p=0.171), CD86 (p=0.037) and HLA-DR (p=0.036) were less expressed in the PACL than the BLD group. Expression of CD40 (p=0.319), CD86 (p=0.036) and HLA-DR (p=0.085) were less expressed in the PACL than the PSqCL group, but the differences were only significant for CD86. Expression of co-stimulatory markers was not different between the PSqCL and BLD groups. Expression of markers for activated DCs were dramatically lower in the PACL group than in groups with other histology (CD40 (p=0.005), CD86 (p=0.013) HLA-DR (p=0.004). Conclusion: These results suggest the possibility that CD1c+ myeloid DCs participate in control of the tumor immunity system and that low expression of markers results in lack of an immune response triggered by dendritic cells in adenocarcinoma of the lung.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.119-128
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• 2021

Objectives: This is a five-year survival case report on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with western medicine and traditional Korean medicine. 44-year old man diagnosed NSCLC IIIB in 2015 went through two months' concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) first, however the cancer did not response. After CCRT he began to take intensive integrative therapy including acupuncture, abdominal moxibustion, wild ginseng pharmacopuncture, herbal medicinal product of ginseng, hyperthermia, Thymosin α1, and mega vitamin C injection for 4 years and 9 months. After three months of intensive treatment, the state of cancer changed first to partial response and then complete response. He finally succeeded in five-year survival without any recurrence or complication in 2020, We suggest that integrative approach including traditional Korean medicine can be a meaningful treatment option for nonoperable NSCLC. Further studies with more cases should be performed to establish proper treatment protocol of integrative medicine for lung cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 1999

Purpose : This is a retrospective study to evaluate the response rate, acute toxicity, and survival rate of a combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy in limited disease small cell lung cancer, Materials and Methods : Firty-six patients with limited disease small-cell lung cancer who underwent combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy between October 1994 and April 1998 were evaluated. Six cycles of chemotherapy were planned either using a VIP regimen etoposide, ifosfamide, and cis-platin) or a EP regimen (etoposide and cis-platin). Thoracic radiation therapy was planned to deli- ver 44 Gy using 1 OMV X-ray, starting concurrently with chemotherapy. Response was evaluated 4 weeks after the completion of the planned chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and the prophylaetic cranial irradiation was planned only for the patients with complete responses. Acute toxicity was evaluated using the SWOG toxicity criteria, and the overall survival and disease-free survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier Method. Results : The median follow-up period was 16 months (range:2 to 41 months). Complete response was achieved En 30 (65$\%$) patients, of which 22 patients received prophylactic cranial irradiations. Acute toxicities over grade III were granulocytopenia in 23 (50$\%$), anemia in 17 (37$\%$), thrombo- cytopenia in nine (20$\%$), alopecia in nine (20$\%$), nausea/vomiting in five (11$\%$), and peripheral neuropathy in one (2$\%$). Chemotherapy was delayed in one patient, and the chemotherapy doses were reduced in 58 (24$\%$) out of the total 246 cycles. No radiation esophagitis over grade 111 was observed, while interruption during radiation therapy for a mean of 8.3 days occurred in 21 patients. The local recurrences were observed in 8 patients and local progressions were in 6 patients, and the distant metastases in 17 patients. Among these, four patients had both the local relapse and the distant metastasis. Brain was the most common metastatic site (10 patients), followed by the liver as the next common site (4 patients). The overall and progression-free survival rates were 79$\%$ and 55$\%$ in 1 year, and 45'/) and 32% in 2 years, respectively, and the median survival was 23 months. Conclusion : Relatively satisfactory local control and suwival rates were achieved after the combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy with mild to moderate acute morbidities in limited disease small cell lung cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.291-301
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• 1998

Purpose : A retrospective study was conducted comparing single daily fraction (SDF) thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) with twice daily (BID) TRT to determine the potential benefit of BID TRT in limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Endpoints of the study were response. survival, pattern of failure, and acute toxicity. Materials and Methods : Between November 1989 to December 1996, 78 patients with histologically proven limited-stage SCLC were treated at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Chungnam National University Hospital. Of these, 9 were irradiated for palliative intent, and 1 had recurrent disease. Remaining 68 patients were enrolled in this study. There were 26 patients with a median age of 58 years, and 22 (85$\%$) ECOG performance score of less than 1 in SDF TRT. There were 42 patients with a median age of 57 years, and 36 (86$\%$) ECOG performance score of less than 1 in BID TRT By radiation fractionation regimen, there were 26 in SDF TRT and 42 in BID TRT. SDF TRT consisted of 180 cGy, 5 days a week. BID TRT consisted of 150 cGy BID, 5 days a week in 13 of 42 and 120 cGy BID, in 29 of 42. And the twice daily fractions were separated by at least 4 hours. Total radiotherapy doses were between 5040 and 6940 cGy (median, 5040 cGy) in SDF TRT and was between 4320 and 5100 cGy (median, 4560 cGy) in BID TRT. Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) was recommended for patients who achieved a CR. The recommended PCI dose was 2500 cGy/10 fractions. Chemotherapy consisted of CAV (cytoxan 1000 mg/$m^2$, adriamycin 40 mg/$m^2$, vincristine 1 mg/$m^2$) alternating with VPP (cisplatin 60 mg/$m^2$, etoposide 100 mg/$m^2$) every 3 weeks in 25 (96$\%$) of SDF TRT and in 40 (95$\%$) of BID TRT. Median cycle of chemotherapy was six in both group. Timing for chemotherapy was sequential in 23 of SDF TRT and in 3 BID TRT, and concurrent in 3 of SDF TRT and in 39 of BID TRT Follow-up ranged from 2 to 99 months (median, 14 months) in both groups. Results : Of the 26 SDF TRT, 9 (35$\%$) achieved a complete response (CR) and 14 (54$\%$) experienced a partial response (PR). Of the 42 BID TRT, 18 (43$\%$) achieved a CR and 23 (55$\%$) experienced a PR. There was no significant response difference between the two arms (p=0.119). Overall median and 2-year survival were 15 months and 26.8$\%$, respectively. The 2-year survivals were 26.9$\%$ and 28$\%$ in both arm, respectively (p=0.51). The 2-rear survivals were 35$\%$ in CR and 24.2$\%$ in PR, respectively. The grade 2 to 3 esophageal toxicities and grade 2 to 4 neutropenias were more common in BID TRT (p=0.028 0.003). There was no difference in locoregional and distant metastasis between the two arms (p=0 125 and 0.335, respectively). The most common site of distant metastasis was the brain. Conclusion : The median survival and 2-year survival were 17 months and 20.9$\%$ in SDF TRT with sequential chemotherapy, and 15 months and 28$\%$ in BID TRT with concurrent chemotherapy, respectively. We did not observe a substantial improvement of long-term survival in the BID TRT with concurrent chemotherapy compared with standard schedules of SDF TRT with sequential chemotherapy. The grade 2 to 3 esophageal toxicities and glade 2 to 4 neutropenias were more common in BID TRT with concurrent chemotherapy. Although the acute toxicities were more common in BID TRT with concurrent chemotherapy than SDF TRT with sequential chemotherapy, a concurrent chemotherapy and twice daily TRT was feasible. However further patient accrual and long-term follow up are needed to determine the potential benefits of BID TRT in limited-stage SCLC.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.318-322
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• 2007

Although reports of multiple primary malignant tumors have increased recently, cases of synchronous double primary tumors of lung and liver are rare. A 73-year-old man suffered from chronic cough. His chest x-ray showed segmental atelectasis of the right upper lobe. Bronchoscopy revealed a mass occluding the orifice of the anterior segmental bronchus of the right upper lobe, and a biopsy showed a squamous cell carcinoma. A synchronous hepatic mass was found by ultrasonography. However, F18-FDG-PET showed no evidence of a distant metastasis. The liver biopsy revealed a hepatocellular carcinoma. A right upper lobe lobectomy and a sleeve resection were performed for the lung cancer, and radiofrequency ablation was performed for the hepatocellular carcinoma.