• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.74-81
• /
• 2008

Background: Fascin is an actin-bundling protein that induces membrane protrusions and it increases cell motility in various transformed cells. Esophageal cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies, and it exhibits extensive local invasion or frequent regional lymph node metastasis even after curative surgery. We investigate the expression of fascin by performing immunohistochemistry to evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognostic significance of its expression in esophageal cancer patients. Material and Method: Immunochemistry for fascin was performed on 76 tumor samples from 76 patients who underwent esophageal cancer operations. The expression levels of fascin in the 76 esophageal cancer tissues were compared with those in the corresponding normal esophageal epithelium. The fascin-positive samples were defined as those showing more than 75% of fascin-positive cells. Result: Overall, a fascin positive expression was detected in 39 (51.3%) out of the total 76 cases. The tumors with positive fascin expression tended to more frequently show a higher stage (p=0.030), and a higher T-factor (p=0.031). The prognosis of the fascin negative group was significantly better than that of the fascin positive group (p=0.004). Multivariate analysis revealed that lymphovascular invasion and the fascin expression were independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: Fascin was expressed in 513% of the esophageal cancer tissues and a positive expression of fascin was associated with more advanced tumor progression and recurrence. Our study suggests that the fascin expression may be an independent prognostic factor for an unfavorable clinical course few those patients suffering with esophageal cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.135-141
• /
• 2008

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas treated by postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: The records of 23 patients with retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcomas, who underwent postoperative radiotherapy between 1985 and 2003, were analyzed. The median follow-up period was 77 months (range, $8{\sim}240$ months). A total of 21 patients presented with primary disease, and two patients presented with recurrent disease. Liposarcomas and leiomyosarcomas represented 78% of the diagnosed tumor cases. Moreover, 17 cases were of high grade (grade 2 or 3). The median tumor size was 13 cm (range, $3{\sim}50\;cm$). Complete excision was achieved in 65% of patients. The median radiation dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 45.0 to 59.4 Gy), with conventional fractionation. Results: The 5-year overall, local recurrence-free, and distant metastasis-free survival rates were 68%, 58%, and 71%, respectively. Eleven patients experienced local recurrence, while 9 patients experienced distant metastasis. The most common site for distant metastasis was the liver. A univariate analysis revealed that adjacent organ invasion and age (>60 years) as the significant risk factors contributing to the prediction of poor overall survival. Moreover, multivariate analyses indicated that adjacent organ invasion remained significantly associated with a higher risk of death. In addition, patient age (>60 years) was the other identified risk factor for local recurrence by univariate and multivariate analyses. Except for one case of grade 3 diarrhea, no patient suffered grade 3 or higher complications. Conclusion: Our results were comparable to previous reports in that adjacent organ invasion and patient age (>60 years) were significant predictors of poor survival and tumor recurrence, respectively.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.297-303
• /
• 1997

Purpose : To evaluate the prognostic factors for disease-free survival and long-term results of radiotherapy for pituitary adenoma. Methods and Materials : The study involved a retrospective review of out-come in a series of 27 patients with pituitary adenoma, between 1984 and 1995 at Paik hospital. The study included 20 patients treated with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy and 7 with radiotherapy alone. The patients were followed for 12-146 months (median : 97 months). Seventeen were men and 10 were women. The numbers of functioning and nonfunctioning pituitary adenorna were 22 and 5 respectively and those of microadenoma and macroadenoma were 4 and 23 respectively. The radiation doses of 5040-5580cGy (median : 5040cGy) were deliverd over 5-7 weeks, using 4MV LINAC. The prognostic factors were analyzed by log-rank test. Results: For radiation therapy alone, the 5YSR was 100% and progression free survival rate was 85.8%, The tumor was controlled in 6/7 (85.8%). For surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. the 5YSR, progression free survival rate and local control rate were 95%, 84.8%, and 89.5% respectively. The parameters of tumor size, hormone secretion, radiation dose. radiotherapy field size were evaluated in a uni- and multivariate analysis and all the factors were not statisticaIty significant (P>0.05). Eleven of 12 (92%) with visual field defect experienced normalization or improvement, and 5 for 7 evaluabie patients with hyperprolactinoma achived normalization in 4 and decrement in S patients. Only 2 patients developed mild degree of Panhypopituitarism. Conclusion: The radiotherapy appears to be effective in controiling clinical symptoms and signs resulting from pituitary adenoma. Local control rate with radiotherapy alone or with surgery and postoperative radiotherauy was comparable. There was a trend toward high recurrence rate in Patients with nonfunctioning or prolactin secretion tumor and larger radiation field sizes.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.219-224
• /
• 2004

Purpose: Through a survey on an Internet homepage, we conducted research concerning the need of patients and their families for information on gastric cancer. We also assessed their interest in gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 619 inquiries presented from June 2002 to September 2003 and 524 replies submitted to a questionnaire survey delivered by the Internet homepage (www.gastriccancer.co.kr) from August to October 2003 to gastric cancer patients and their families. Results: Analysis of Inquiries: The classified inquiries listed in order of frequency are as follows: treatment, prognosis, stages, symptoms, pathophysiology, diagnostic modalities, favorable food, etiology, follow-up, etc. Among the inquiries about treatment, the most frequent subgroup was about the scope of surgery or perioperative implications. Next came questions concerning chemotherapy. Among the questions from patients yet to be operated, on those about operability and the prognosis were most frequent. Among the patients who had undergone a resection, questions on complications and the corresponding prognosis were most frequent. The concern from patients with inoperable or recurrent cancers was related to terminal care and/or chemotherapy. Analysis of Questionnaires: The respondents acquired information on gastric cancer from the Internet ($40\%$), doctors ($32\%$), the mass media ($15\%$) and acquaintances ($13\%$). Only $6\%$ of the respondents were sufficiently satisfied with the information provided by doctors. Among the respondents, $89.9\%$ were interested in complementing treatment with folk remedies while only $5\%$ were not. Conclusion: Patients and their families were eager to get information about gastric cancer. However, many of them found the doctors' information to be insufficient. Our suggestion is that the public health, academic societies, medical institutions, and public organizations should endeavor to provide through an activated Internet network correct information on gastric cancer. (J Korean Gastric Cancer Assoc 2004;4:219-224)

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
• /
• v.43 no.5
• /
• pp.429-435
• /
• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic value of preoperative FDG-PET in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with hepatic metastasis (HM). Materials and Methods: 24 CRC patients (M:F=14:10; age, $63{\pm}10$ yrs) with HM who had undergone preoperative FDG PET were included. Cure-intent surgery was performed in all the patients and HMs were controlled using resection (n=13), radio-frequency ablation (RFA) (n=7), and resection plus RFA (n=4). Potential prognostic markers tested were maxSUV of primary tumor, maxSUV of HM, maxSUV ratio of HM over primary tumor (M/P ratio), histologic grade, CEA level, venous/lymphatic/nerve invasion, T stage, N stage, no. of HM, no. of lymph node metastasis, and treatment modality of HM. Results: 14 CRC patients developed a recurrence with a median follow-up duration of 244 days, whereas 10 patients did not develop recurrence with a median follow-up duration of 504 days. M/P ratios but other potential prognostic markers were significantly higher in the recurrent patients ($0.72{\pm}0.14$) than recurrence-free patients ($0.54{\pm}0.23$) (p=0.038). M/P ratio only was found to predict recurrence by Cox multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 37.7, 95% confidence interval 2.01-706.1, p=0.016). The 11 patients with lower M/P ratio of <0.61 had significantly better disease-free survival rate than the 13 patients with higher M/P ratio (${\geq}0.61$) (p=0.026). Conclusion: maxSUV ratio of HM over primary tumor (M/P ratio) may be useful for prognosis prediction of CRC patients with HM. Higher FDG uptake of HM than that of primary tumor may indicate a more advanced status in stage IV CRC.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.214-220
• /
• 2004

Purpose: As for the malignant bowel obstruction of terminal cancer patient, a prognosis is relatively bad. Physicians consider palliative procedures or surgery for the quality of life, but sometimes it is hard to decide. After diagnosis of a malignant bowel obstruction in terminal cancer patients, we investigated the clinical characteristics, the prognostic factors and the survival of patients with palliative procedures or surgery. Methods: we retrospectively reviewed the medical records in 40 malignant bowel obstruction patients who had been diagnosed as terminal cancer from May in 2002 to May in 2004. Results: There were 21 males (53%) and 19 females (47%), and median age of patients was $64.1{\pm}1.58$ years. The most common cause of malignant bowel obstruction was colorectal cancer (18 patients, 45%), followed by stomach cancer (11, 28%), pancreatic cancer (4, 10%), others (7, 19%). Metastases were carcinomatosis peritonei (14 patients, 35%), liver (13, 33%). During a bowel obstruction, symptoms were vomiting (15 patients, 38%), abdominal pain (10, 25%), constipation (6, 15%), abdominal distension (5, 13%). Performance status (ECOG) was 2 score (16 patients, 40%), 3 score (20, 50%), 4 score (4, 10%). Palliative procedure group were 30 patients, the others 10. Median survival in palliative procedure group was 142 days, that of no palliation group 30. Median survival time of palliative procedure group from palliative procedures or surgery were significantly higher than that of no palliation group from diagnosis of malignant bowel obstruction. Prognostic factors of palliative procedure group were PS, site of obstruction and primary cancer. Median survival in PS 2, lower GI obstruction and colorectal cancer was higher than PS 3, upper GI obstruction and others, respectively. Conclusion: we recommend aggressively palliative procedures or surgery in malignant bowel obstruction patients diagnosed with terminal cancer if palliative procedures or surgery could be performed effectively.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.27-34
• /
• 2003

Purpose : To evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy, and the factors affecting survival in patients of extrahepatic bile duct cancer, by analyzing the results of postoperative radiotherapy Materials and Methods : Between October 1991 and July 2001, 21 patients with extrahepatic bile duct cancer, who received radiotherapy after a radical resection, were retrospectively reviewed. The patients' ages ranged from 39 to 75 years, with a median of 61 years, and a male to female ratio of 16 to 5. The numbers of patients with proximal and distal bile duct cancer were 14 and 7, respectively. From the postoperative pathological examination, 19 of the patients were found to have microscopic residues, and 7 to be lymph node positive. Patients with AJCC stages I, II and III were 10, 10 and 1, respectively. The total radiation dose administered was 4,500$\~$6,300 cGy, with a median dose of 5,040 cGy. The follow up period was 20$\~$81 months, with a median of 57.5 months. Results : The overall and disease free survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 41.0 and 29.3$\%$, and 41.6 and 29.7$\%$, respectively. The influences of age, sex, tumor location, differentiation, microscopic residue, neural invasion, 7 and N stage, the stage itself, the dose of radiation and chemotherapy, on survival were evaluated. The T stage and the stage itself were found to be significant from a univariate analysis (p<0.05), but the degree of significance was limited by the small number of patients. A recurrence occurred in 12 patients (57.1$\%$), 5 in locoregional sites, 4 in distant sites and 3 in a combination of locoregional and distant sites, and the sites of distant metastasis were the liver, 6, and the bone, 1 Grade 2 or 3 acute leucopenias occurred in 2 patients and grade 2 chronic peptic ulcers occurred in 4, who were all recovered by conservative management. Conclusion : Postoperative radiotherapy is feasigbls in extrah데atic bile duct cancer, with tolerable toxicity, but prospective studies, with a large patient enrollment, are needed for the evaluation of the effects of postoperative radiotherapy and the related prognostic factors.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.557-567
• /
• 2001

Background : Tumor angiogenesis is required for tumor growth and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the correlation between the intensity of angiogenesis and stage, nodal status, histologic type, metastasis and survival rate of non-small cell lung cancer. Method : Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded surgical specimens of 45 patients who had surgically resected primary non-small cell lung cancers without pre or post operative adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy were examined. The microvessel count(MVC) was demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining for CD31(platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule, PECAM). Results : Microvessel counts(MVCs) in stage IIIA and IIIB were higher than in stage I and II(p<0.05). The MVC in patients with lymph node metastasis was higher than that in patients without lymph node metastasis, although the difference was not statistically significant(p>0.05). However, in adenocarcinoma, the MVC in patients with lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than that seen in patients without lymph node metastasis(p<0.05). The MVC in adenocarcinoma was higher than that in squamous cell carcinoma(p<0.05). The difference between the MVCs of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma was not statistically significant in stage I and II or N0 stage(p>0.05). However, in stage IIIA and IIIB or N1~3 stage, the MVC in adenocarcinoma was higher than that in squamous cell carcinoma(p<0.05). MVC was more increased when metastasis developed within 12 months. In the same histologic type and stage, the duration of survival time in patients with high MVC was shorter than in patients with low MVC, however the difference was not statistically significant(p>0.05). The survival rate in patients with high MVCs was lower than that in patients with low MVCs(P<0.05). Conclusion : In non-small cell lung cancer, MVC correlated relatively well with pathologic stage, nodal status(limited in patients with adenocarcinoma), histologic type, postoperative metastasis and survival rate. However, in the same histologic type and stage, MVC was not significantly related to the duration of survival. Therefore the assessment of the intensity of angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer may be helpful in predicting prognosis and in selecting patients for systemic adjuvant therapy of potential metastasis according to the results.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.48 no.7
• /
• pp.737-744
• /
• 2005

Purpose : Infants and children with cardiovascular diseases often present with respiratory symptoms. However, missed or delayed evaluation for potential airway problem may complicate overall prognosis. The aim of this study is to determine the clinical characteristics of these patients and explore the cause of airway problem. Methods : We reviewed the medical records of 64 patients(M : F=33:31, mean age : $6.3{\pm}7.5$ months) whose airway problems were proven by computed tomography or bronchoscopy in perioperative periods at the Asan Medical Center from January 1997 to June 2004. Patients were divided into two groups based on the duration of ventilator care : ${\leq}7$ days(group 1 : 23 cases, M : F=10 : 13) and >7 days(group 2 : 41 cases, M : F=23 : 18). Results : The patients in group 2 significantly developed more post-operative respiratory symptoms than group 1(P<0.001) and had more airway problems including extrinsic obstruction, intrinsic anomaly, and combined problem than group 1 although not significantly different(P=0.082). Among underlying diseases, the most common diseases were vascular anomaly(26.2 percent) and aortic arch anomaly(26.2 percent) in group 1 and pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect(22.4 percent) in group 2. The most frequent respiratory symptoms were recurrent wheezing pre-operatively and failure of ventilator weaning post-operatively. The major types of airway anomaly were tracheomalacia and tracheal stenosis(in each case 18.2 percent). Nineteen patients with persistent airway problems underwent aortopexy or other vascular correction. Of the 19 patients, 13(68.4 percent) were improved, but 2 failed in weaning ventilator and 4 died of non-airway problems. Conclusion : Early evaluation and treatment for potential airway problems may affect natural or surgical prognosis in patients with cardiovascular diseases presenting with respiratory symptoms.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.10-14
• /
• 2009

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness and prognostic factors for patients treated with postoperative radiation therapy following surgery or with radiation therapy alone for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 132 esophageal cancer patients treated with postoperative radiation therapy following surgery or patients who were treated with radiation therapy alone at our institution from 1989 to 2006. Thirty-five patients had stage II disease, 88 patients had stage III disease and nine patients had stage IV disease. Tumors were located at the upper esophagus in 18 patients, the mid esophagus in 81 patients and the distal esophagus in 33 patients. Sixty patients were treated with radiation therapy alone and 72 patients were treated with postoperative radiation therapy following surgery. Eight patients received a dose less than 40 Gy and 78 patients received a dose of 40 to 50 Gy. The remaining 46 patients received a dose of 50 to 60 Gy. The majority of patients who underwent postoperative radiation therapy received a dose of 45 Gy. Results: Actuarial survival rates for all of the patients at two years and five years were 24% and 5%, respectively. The median survival time was 11 months. Survival rates for patients who underwent postoperative RT at two years and five years were 29% and 8%, respectively. The corresponding survival rates for patients who received radiation alone were 18% and 2%, respectively. Survival rates at two years and five years were 43% and 15% for stage II disease, 22% and 2% for stage III disease and 0% and 0% for stage IV disease, respectively; these findings were statistically significant. Two-year survival rates for patients with upper, middle and distal esophageal cancer were 19, 29% and 22%, respectively. Although there was a trend of slightly better survival for middle esophageal tumors, this finding was not statistically significant. Complete response to radiation was achieved in 13 patients (22%) and partial response to radiation was achieved in 40 patients (67%) who received radiation alone. No response to radiation was noted in seven patients (12%). A statistically significant difference in survival rates was seen between patients that had a complete response and patients that had a partial response. Two-year survival rates for patients that had a complete response versus patients that had a partial response were 31% and 17%, respectively. There were no survivors for patients with no response as determined at two-year follow-up. Conclusion: We conclude that radiation therapy is an effective treatment for esophageal cancer. Stage and response to radiation therapy were noted to be prognostic factors. A more effective treatment modality is needed to improve long term survival because of the relatively dismal prognosis for this tumor.