• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2005

Purpose: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. GISTs are positive for the expression of c-Kit protein at immunohistochemistry, and their clinical presentations vary. This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the clincopathologic characteristics of GISTs and to define the prognostic factors. Materials and Methods: 40 patients who underwent a complete resection of a GIST during the period $1996\~2003$ at the Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, were studied. We divided them into low- and high-risk. groups by using tumor size and mitotic count: 23 cases were low risk, and 17 were high risk. Clinicopathologic features, immunohistochemical findings, and prognoses were compared between the low- and the high-risk groups. Results: The mean age of the 40 patients was $61.3\pm11.1$years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1：1.1. There was no significant difference in age and sex between the groups. A comparative analysis revealed tumor size, mitotic count, clinical symptoms, preoperative pathologic diagnosis, ulceration, and necrosis to be variables that had statistically significant differences between the high- and the low-risk groups. In the univariate analysis, tumor size, mitotic count, ulceration, necrosis, and abnormal endoscopic ultrasound findings were associated with disease-free survival, but in the multivariate analysis, mitotic activity was the only independent factor associated with disease-free survival. 8 patients had recurrences during the follow-up period, and four of them were treated with STI-571 (imatinib mesylate, $Gleevec^{(R)}$). The treated patients have survived until now; however, two of non-treated patients died from disease progression. Conclusion: Based on this study, tumor size, ulceration, and necrosis are significant factors affecting survival, and mitotic activity may be a useful prognostic marker. STI-571 may be used in an adjuvant setting because the drug has shown anticancer activity in patients with recurrence or metastasis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2007

Background: In pathogenesis and prognosis of lung cancer, significance of enormous types of genetic expression were very compounding and undetermined. We performed this study to search association between clinical characteristics and expression of COX-2, MMP-9 and p53 in non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Ninety-one patients with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled. We had searched clinical data retrospectively and performed immunohistochemical staining for COX-2, MMP-9 and p53. We had analyzed significance of these three genes in clinical features and prognosis for survival. Results: 1) In squamous cell carcinoma, male was predominant and was significantly correlated with smoking. 2) Major prognostic determinants for overall survival were curative resection. 3) Expression of COX-2 was more frequent in adenocarcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma. 4) Negative staining of COX-2, MMP-9 and p53 was more frequent in squamous cell carcinoma than adenocarcinoma. 5) Survival duration was longer in the group with positive expression of p53 and negative for COX-2 and MMP-9 (median duration of survival = 165.6 weeks) than groups with the other expressional patterns. 6) Significant correlation was found between expression of MMP-9 and COX-2. In squamous cell carcinoma, expression of MMP-9, COX-2 and mutant p53 were mutually correlated. 7) COX-2 expression was significant prognostic factor for survival in resected cancer group. In unresected inoperable non-small cell lung cancer group, MMP-9 was statistically significant prognostic factor for overall survival. Conclusion: COX-2 and MMP-9 might have some roles for progression or prognosis in some selected patients with non-small cell lung cancer. COX-2 and MMP-9 may have some roles for disease progression or prognosis in selected patients with NSCLC.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.214-220
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• 2006

Purpose: p53 is one of the most commonly mutated genes in human tumors. The aim of this study was to analyze p53 mutation in gastric cancer and its correlations with the clinicopathologic variables to clarify the usefulness of p53 mutation as a prognostic factor. Materials and Methods: Specimens from 331 patients with gastric cancer who underwent a gastrectomy between March 1999 and April 2001 at the Kyungpook National University Hospital were used. p53 gene mutations were assessed by using a polymerase chain-reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis. The correlations between p53 gene mutation and clinocopathologic parameters were analyzed. Results: p53 mutations were found in 66 (19.9%) tumors. Among those 66 cases, mutations were seen in 23 tumors at axon 5, in 8 at exon 6, in 21 at exon 7, and in 17 at exon 8. Two mutations were shown in 3 tumors. Thiriy-six (23.1%) of 156 intestinal-type tumors and 19 (13.1%) of 145 diffuse-type tumors showed p53 gene mutation (P=0.007). The frequency of p53 gene mutation didn't show any significant differences according to age, sex, stage, location, or gross type. Exon 5 mutations showed more frequently in intestinal-type tumors than in diffuse-type tumors (9.7% vs. 2.8%, P=0.024), and p53 mutation were more frequent in lymph nodes metastasis group than lymph nodes non-metastasis group with statistical significance (25.0% vs 15.6%, P=0.034). The five-year survival rate showed no statistically significant difference with p53 mutation (P=0.704). Conclusion: p53 mutations assessed by PCR-SSCP had little value as a prognostic factor after gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2002

Purpose : Oligodendrogliomas (ODG) are a rare, slow growing, tumor in the brain, which can be cured by complete surgical resection, but as yet it is not known if postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) is essential, We analyzed the treatment results of patients with irradiated ODG to investigate the efficacy of RT in terms of survival rates and other influencing prognostic factors. Methods and Materials : Between March 1983 and December 1997, 42 patients with ODG were treated with RT at our hospital. The RT was peformed dally at a dose of $1.8\~2.0\;Gy$, at 5 fractions per week, to a total dose of between 39.6 Gy and 64.8 Gy (mean 53.3 Gy). The ages of the patients ranged between 5 and 62 years, with a median age of 39 years. The mean follow-up period was 63.4 months (8-152 months). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess the survival, and 5 year survival rates (5-YSR). Log rank tests and Cox regression analyses were used to define the significance of prognostic factors. Results : The majority of ODG in this study were located in the cerebral hemisphere $(83.3\%)$. ODG are slightly more common in men than women, and commonly occurs in middle age, between the 3rd and 4th decades. It has been recommended that RT is commenced within 4 weeks following surgery (5-YSR; $86\%\;vs.\;49\%;\;p<0.03$). Histologically well differentiated, as opposed to poorly differentiated, tumors were found to have a more favorable prognosis (p<0.02). The actuarial 5-YSR was $65.3\%$ (median survival 90 months). 5-YSR for the various extents of surgical excision, followed by external RT, was superior to that of biopsy only followed by external RT $(69.9\%\;vs.\;25.6\%,\;p<0.01)$. Tumor size and location, overall elapsed irradiation days, age, sex, whole brain irradiation as a course of treatment and chemotherapy, had no influence on the 5-YSR (p>0.05). Conclusion : A local involved field irradiation with conventional fractionation, commencing within 4 weeks following surgical excision of the tumor, was beneficial for the 5-YSR, but a total radiation dose exceeding 60 Gy did not improve the 5-YSR.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.104-113
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• 1991

선양낭암은 타액선종양중 비교적 드문 악성종양으로 병리조직학적 및 임상적으로 독특한 양상을 보인다. 병리조직학상 종양세포가 신경주변으로 침범하여 수술당시 적절한 수술연을 얻기 어렵고 이에 따른 국소재발이 거듭되고 임파선전이 및 예측치 않는 원격전이가 생기기도 한다. 지금까지 선양낭암환자의 예후에 영향을 미치는 여러 요인들에 대한 연구들이 이루워지고 있는데 그중 조직학적 분화도, 원발부위, 종양의 크기, 수술연의 상태와 임상적 병기들이 중요시되고 있다. 이에 저자들은 1960년부터 1980년 까지 텍사스대학 M.D. Anderson 암센터에서 치료받은 이하선 및 악하선 선양낭암 각각 13례와 26례를 대상으로 원발부위가 환자의 생존 및 치료에 미치는 영향을 알고자 다른 예후인자로 알려진 조직병리학적 소견들과 함께 통계학적 분석을 실시하였다. 이하선과 악하선에 생긴 선양낭암을 비교한 결과 이하선에 생긴 경우 조직학적 분화도가 더 낮았고 악하선 종양에서 수술연에 종양침범율이 더 적었다. 경부 임파절 전이는 악하선 종양에서 많았으나 반면 원격전이는 이하선 종양에서 더 많이 발생하였다. 그러나 종양의 크기, 선경주위침범 유무, 국소재발과 환자의 생존율사이에는 의의있는 상관 관계는 없었다. 이하선과 악하선에 생긴 선양낭암의 여러 특성들과 생존률간의 univariate 분석결과 악하선에 생긴 선양낭암 환자에서 종양이 크거나 조직학상 분화가 나쁘거나(solid pattern), 경부임파절 전이와 원격전이가 생기면 예후에 나쁜 영향을 끼침이 밝혀졌다. 그러나 이하선에 생긴 경우 분석례가 너무 적어 결론을 내리기에 불충분하였다. 원발부위에 따른 선양낭암 환자들의 특성을 chi-square 검정법을 이용하여 통계학적으로 분석한 결과 이 두군간에는 의의있는 통계학적 차이는 발견할 수 없었다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.1253-1259
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• 2003

Backgroud : Seizures in the neonate are relatively common and their clinical features are different from those in children and adults. The study aimed to provide the clinical profiles of neonatal seizure in our hospital. Methods : A total of 41 newborns with seizures were enrolled in this study over a period of three years. They were evaluated with special reference to risk factors, neurologic examinations, laboratory data, neuroimaging studies, EEG findings, seizure types, response to treatment, and prognosis, etc. Results : The average age at onset of seizures was $6.1{\pm}4.6days$ and the majority of patients(42%) had multifocal clonic seizure and 24% had subtle seizure. Factors that are known to increase risk of neonatal seizures include abnormal delivery history, birth asphyxia, and electrolyte imbalance, etc. However, they remain obscure in about 20% of cases. More than 50 percent showed abnormal lesions on neuroimaging studies such as brain hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, brain infarction, cortical dysplasia, hydrocephalus, etc. and 17 out of 32 patients showed abnormal electroencephalographic patterns. Phenobarbital was tried as a first line antiepileptic drug and phenytoin was added if it failed to control seizures. The treatments were terminated in the majority of patients during the hospital stay. The overall prognosis was relatively good except for those with abnormal EEG background or congenital central nervous system malformations. Conclusion : Neonatal seizures may permanently disrupt brain development. Better understanding of their clinical profiles and appropriate management may lead to a reduction in neurological disability in later childhood.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.131-136
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• 2005

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of postoperative radiotherapy for parotid gland malignancy, and determine prognostic factors for locoregional control and survival. Materials and Methods: Between 1980 and 2002, 130 patients with parotid malignancy were registered In the database of the Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University Hospital. The subjects of this analysis were the 72 of these 130 patients who underwent postoperative Irradiation, There were 42 males and 30 females, with a median age of 46.5 years. The most common histological type was a mucoepidermoid carcinoma. There were 6, 23, 23 and 20 patients in Stages I, II, III and IV, respectively. The median dose to the tumor bed was 60 Gy, with a median fraction size of 1.8 Gy. Results: The overall 5 and 10 year survival rates were 85 and $76\%$, respectively, The five-year locoregional control rate was $85\%$, which reached a plateau phase after 6 years. Sex and histological type were found to be statistically significant for overall survival from a multivariate analysis. No other factors, Including age, facial nerve palsy and stage, were related to overall survival. For locoregional control, nodal involvement and positive resection margin were associated with poor local control. Histological type, tumor size, perineural invasion and type of surgery were not significant for locoregional control. Conclusion: A high survival rate of parotid gland malignancies, with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, was confirmed. Sex and histological type were significant prognostic factors for overall survival. Nodal Involvement and a positive resection margin were associated with poor locoregional control.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if there were prognostic differences between BRCA related and BRCA non-related Korean patients with early-onset breast carcinomas. Materials and Methods: Sixty women who had developed breast cancers before the age of 40, and who were treated at the Soonchunhyang University Hospital, were studied independently of their family histories. The age range was 18 to 40 with a median of 34.5 years. Lymphocyte specimens from peripheral blood were studied for the heterozygous mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 using direct sequencing methods. Immunohistochemistry was peformed on the paraffin-embedded tissue blocks that were available. Results: Eleven deleterious mutations (18.3%, 6 in BRCA1 and 5 in BRCA2) and 7 missense mutations of unknown significance (11.7%), were found among the 60 patients. More than half of the mutation were novel, and were not reported in the database. Most of the BRCA-associated patients had no history of breast cancer. No treatment related failures were observed in the BRCA carriers, with the exception of one patient that had experienced a new primary tumor of the contralateral breast. The seven year relapse free survival rate were 50 and 79% In the BRCA carrier and BRCA negative patients, respectively. Although the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors were less common, and histological features more aggressive, in the BRCA associated tumors, the outcome of the patients with BRCA mutations was not poorer than that on the patients without deleterious mutations. Conclusion.: Despite the BRCA mutation carriers having adverse prognostic features, the recurrence rate was relatively lower than that in the BRCA non-carrying Korean patients wi4h early-onset breast carcinomas. In addition, although the prevalence of the BRCA mutation in Korean patients was higher than that in white patients, the penetrance of the cancer seemed to be relatively low in Korean women carrying BRCA mutations. A large population based study of the BRCA mutation, with a long-term follow-up of the study patients will be required to confirm these results.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.429-435
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• 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 Gastric Cancer
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2006

Purpose: The prognosis of stage IV gastric cancer is poor with the 5-year survival rate still being about 10%. We investigated the prognostic factors of stage IV gastric cancer patients who underwent resection. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of 383 patients with stage IV gastric cancer who underwent surgery in our department between September 1983 to December 2000 was conducted. We classified the 383 patients into two groups: patients surviving 2 years or more (n=77) and those surviving less than 2 years (n=306). Clinicopathologic differences were analyzed between the two groups. We also performed univariate and multivariate analyses of various clinicopathologic factors concerning survival. Results: Statistically significant clinicopathologic differences between the two groups were observed in regard to macroscopic type, distant metastasis, lymph node dissection, curability, and histology. Curability and histology were significant survival factors in 2-year survival. The 5-year survival rate was 5.4% in stage IV gastric cancer. Significant differences in survival among macroscopic type, distant metastasis, lymph node dissection, curability and histology were observed in the univariate analysis. In the Multivariate analysis, Curability, lymph node dissection, and histology were significantly beneficial factors for survival. Conclusion: Lymph node dissection, curability, and histology were independent prognostic factors in stage IV gastric cancer, and radical treatment is recommended to improve survival.