• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.57-70
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• 2003

Background : Small cell lung cancer represents approximately 20% of all carcinomas of the lung, and is recognized as having a poor long term outcome compared to non-small cell lung cancer. Therefore, this study investigated the prognostic factors in small cell lung cancer patients in order to improved the survival rate by using the proper therapeutic methods. Material and method : The clinical data from 394 patients who diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and treated from 1993 to 2001 at the Kosin University Gospel Hospital, were analyzed. Result : There were 314 male patients (79.7%), and 80 female patients (20.3%). The number of those with limited disease was 177 (44.9%), and the number of those with extensive disease was 217 (55.1%). Overall, 366 out of 394 enrolled patients had died. The median survival time was 215 days (95% CI : 192-237days). The disease stage, Karnofsky performance state, 5% body weight loss for the recent 3 months, chemotherapy regimens, and the additive chest radiotherapy were identified as being statistically significant factors for the survival time. The median survival times of the supportive care group, one anticancer therapy, and two or more treatment groups were 17 days, 211 days, and 419 day, respectively (p<0.001). These data emphasize the importance of anticancer treatment to improve survival time for patients. The group of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (30 patients) showed significantly longer survival time than the group given sequential chemoradiotherapy (55 patients) (528 days versus 373 days, p=0.0237). The favorable prognostic factors of laboratory study were groups of leukocyte =8,000/mm3, ALP=200 U/L, LDH=450 IU/L, NSE=15 ng/mL, s-GOT=40 IU/L. In extensive disease, there was no difference according to the number of metastatic site. However, the median survival time of patients with ipsilateral pleural effusion had longer than patients having other metastatic sites. According to the survey periods, three groups were divided into 1993-1995, 1996-1998, and 1999-2001. The median survival time was significantly prolonged after 1999 in comparison to previous groups (177 days, 194 days, 289 days, p=0.001, 0.002, respectively). Conclusion: Disease stage and 5% body weight loss for recent 3 months at diagnostic state were significant prognostic factors. In addition, the performance status, serum ALP, LDH, NSE, CEA levels also appear to be prognostic factors. The survival time of those patients with small cell lung cancer has been prologned in recent years. It was suggested that the used of the EP (etoposied and cisplatin) chemotherapy method and concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with a limited stage contributed to the improved survival time.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.459-470
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• 2007

Domestically, finishing pigs are marketed at 110 kg on an average. However, it is thought to be feasible to increase the market weight to 120kg or greater without decreasing the carcass quality, because most domestic pigs for pork production have descended from lean-type lineages. The present study was undertaken to investigate the growth efficiency and profitability of ‘high’-market wt pigs and the physicochemical characteristics and consumers' acceptability of the high-wt carcass. A total of 96 (Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc-crossbred gilts and barrows were fed a finisher diet ad laibtum in 16 pens beginning from 90-kg BW, after which the animals were slaughtered at 110kg (control) or ‘high’ market wt (135 and 125kg in gilts & barrows, respectively) and their carcasses were analyzed. Average daily gain and gain:feed did not differ between the two sex or market wt groups, whereas average daily feed intake was greater in the barrow and high market wt groups than in the gilt and 110-kg market wt groups, respectively(P<0.01). Backfat thickness of the high-market wt gilts and barrows corrected for 135 and 125-kg live wt, which were 23.7 and 22.5 mm, respectively, were greater (P<0.01) than their corresponding 110-kg counterparts(19.7 & 21.1 mm). Percentages of the trimmed primal cuts per total trimmed lean (w/w), except for that of loin, differed statistically (P<0.05) between two sex or market wt groups, but their numerical differences were rather small. Crude protein content of the loin was greater in the high vs. 110-kg market group (P<0.01), but crude fat and moisture contents and other physicochemical characteristics including the color of this primal cut were not different between the two sexes or market weights. Aroma, marbling and overall acceptability scores were greater in the high vs. 110-kg market wt group in sensory evaluation for fresh loin (P<0.01); however, overall acceptabilities for cooked loin, belly and ham were not different between the two market wt groups. Marginal profits of the 135- and 125-kg high-market wt gilt and barrow relative to their corresponding 110-kg ones were approximately -35,000 and 3,500 wons per head under the current carcass grading standard and price. However, if it had not been for the upper wt limits for the A- and B-grade carcasses, marginal profits of the high market wt gilt and barrow would have amounted to 22,000 and 11,000 wons per head, respectively. In summary, 120～125-kg market pigs are likely to meet the consumers' preference better than the 110-kg ones and also bring a profit equal to or slightly greater than that of the latter even under the current carcass grading standard. Moreover, if only the upper wt limits of the A- & B-grade carcasses were removed or increased to accommodate the high-wt carcass, the optimum market weights for the gilt and barrow would fall upon their target weights of the present study, i.e. 135 and 125 kg, respectively.