• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.215-220
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• 2002

Purpose : Preoperative radiotherapy has been used to induce tumor regression and allow complete resection of rectal cancer with a sphincter preservation surgery. This study was performed to determine the effectiveness of preoperative radiotherapy for $T_2,\;T_3$ distal rectal carcinoma. Materials and Methods : From November 1995 to June 1997, fifteen patients with invasive distal rectal cancer were treated with preoperative radiotherapy followed by sphincter preservation surgery. Classification by preoperative T stage consisted of 7 $T_2$ and 8 $T_3$ tumors. Radiation therapy was delivered with 6 MV and 15 MV linear accelerator, at 1.8 Gy fractions for 5 days per week. Total radiation doses were 45 Gy to 50.4 Gy (median : 50.4 Gy). Sphincter preservation surgery was peformed $4\~6$ weeks after the completion of radiotherapy. Median follow-up was 22 months (range : $16\~37\;months$). Results : One patient $(6.7\%)$ had a complete pathologic response. Comparing the stage at the diagnostic workup with the pathologic stage, tumor downstaging of T stages occurred in 11 of 15 patients $(73.3\%)$ and $N_1$ stages occurred in 2 of 5 patients $(40\%)$. No patient developed progressive disease undergoing treatment. Two patients suffered local recurrence at 7 and 20 months, and one a distant metastasis at 30 months. No grade 3 or 4 toxicity was observed. Conclusion : Our experience suggests that preoperative radiotherapy followed by sphincter preservation surgery is well tolerated, and can significantly reduce the tumor burden for $T_2\;T_3$ distal rectal cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.243-252
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• 1995

Purpose : Intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy is an accepted treatment for the tumors of GI tract. However, there is only some limited clinical data for intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy for the tumors of GI tract. Materials and Methods : Between February 1991 and July 1993, 18 Patients who have the tumors of GI tract (esophageal cancer-8 cases, rectal cancer-10 cases) were treated with high dose rate Iridium-192 afterloading system (Microselectron-HDR, Nucletron CO, Netherland) at the department of therapeutic radiology, St. Mary's hospital, Catholic university medical college. Age range was 47-87 years with a mean a9e 71 years. All patients were treated with intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy within two weeks after conventional external radiation therapy and received 3-5 Gy/fraction 3-4 times per week to a total dose 12-20 Gy (mean 17 Gy). Standard fractionation and conventional dose were delivered for external radiation therapy. Total dose of external radiation therapy ranged 41.4-59.4 Gy (mean 49.6 Gy). Median follow up was 19 months Results : The analysis was based on 18 patients, The complete response and partial response in esophageal cancer was similar (38%). Two year rates for survival and median survival were 13% and 10 months, respectively. Among 10 patients of rectal cancers, partial response was obtained in 6 patients (60%). There was no complete response in the patients with rectal cancer, but good palliative results were achieved in all patients. Conclusion : Although the number of patients was not large and the follow-up period was relatively short, these findings suggested that intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy could be useful in the treatment of the patients with advanced tumors of GI tract.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.126-132
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• 2009

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate the prognostic factors for the pathologic N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who were treated by postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 112 pN2 NSCLC patients who underwent surgery and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) From January 1999 to February 2008. Seventy-five (67%) patients received segmentectomy or lobectomy and 37 (33%) patients received pneumonectomy. The resection margin was negative in 94 patients, and it was positive or close in 18 patients. Chemotherapy was administered to 103 (92%) patients. Nine (8%) patients received PORT alone. The median radiation dose was 54 Gy (range, 45 to 66), and the fraction size was 1.8~2 Gy. Results: The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was 60.2% and the disease free survival (DFS) rate was 44.7% for all the patients. Univariate analysis showed that the patients with multiple-station N2 disease had significantly reduced OS and DFS (p=0.047, p=0.007) and the patients with an advanced T stage ($\geq$T3) had significantly reduced OS and DFS (p<0.001, p=0.025). A large tumor size ($\geq$5 cm) and positive lymphovascular invasion reduced the OS (p=0.035, 0.034). Using multivariate analysis, we found that multiple-station N2 disease and an advanced T stage ($\geq$T3) significantly reduced the OS and DFS. Seventy one patients (63.4%) had recurrence of disease. The patterns of failure were loco-regional in 23 (20.5%) patients, distant failure in 62 (55.4%) and combined loco-regional and distant failure in 14 (12.5%) patients. Conclusion: Multiple involvement of mediastinal nodal stations for the pN2 NSCLC patients with PORT was a poor prognostic factor in this study. A prospective study is necessary to evaluate the N2 subclassification and to optimize the adjuvant treatment.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2003

Purpose: To report the early results of preopeartive concurrent radio-chemotherapy (CRCT) for treating rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: From June 1999 to April 2002, 40 rectal cancer patients who either had lesions with a questionable resectability or were candidates for sphincter-sacrificing surgery received preoperative CRCT. Thirty-seven patients completed the planned CRCT course. 45 Gy by 1.8 Gy daily fraction over 5 weeks was delivered to the whole pelvis in the prone position. The chemotherapy regimens were oral UFT plus oral leucovorin (LV) in 12 patients, intravenous bolus 5-FU plus LV in 10 patients, and intravenous 5-FU alone in 15 patients (bolus infusion in 10, continuous infusion in 5). Surgery was planned in 4$\~$6 weeks of the completion of the preoperative CRCT course, and surgery was attempted in 35 patients. Results: The compliance to the current preoperative CRCT protocol was excellent, where 92.5$\%$ (37/40) completed the planned treatment. Among 35 patients, in whom surgery was attempted after excluding two patients with new metastatic lesions in the liver and the lung, sphincter-preservation was achieved in 22 patients (62.9$\%$), while resection was abandoned during laparotomy in two patients (5.7$\%$). Gross complete resection was peformed in 30 patients, gross incomplete resection was peformed in one patient, and no detailed information on the extent of surgery was available in two patients. Based on the surgical and pathological findings, the down-staging rate was 45.5$\%$ (15/33), and the complete resection rate with the negative resection margin 78.8$\%$ (26/33). During the CRCT course, grade 3 $\~$4 neutropenia developed in four patients (10.8$\%$). Local recurrence after surgical resection developed in 12.1$\%$ (4/33), and distant metastases after the preoperative CRCT start developed in 21.6$\%$ (8/37). The overall 3-years survival rate was 87$\%$. Conclusion: Preoperative CRCT in locally advanced rectal cancer is well tolerated and can lead to high resection rate, down-staging rate, sphincter preservation rate, however, longer term follow-up will be necessary to confirm these results.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 1996

Purpose : A retrospective analysis for patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma who were treated with radiation was performed to assess the results of treatment and patterns of failure, and to identify the factors that might influence survival. materials and methods : From March 1985 through June 1993, 53 patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma were treated with either radiation therapy alone or combination of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital. Patients' ages ranged from 31 to 73 years with a median age of 54 years. There were 47 men and 6 women, Forty-two Patients ($79.2\%$) had squamous cell carcinoma, 10 patients ($18.9\%$) had undifferentiated carcinoma and 1 patient ($19\%$) had adenoid cystic carcinoma. There were 2 patients with stage I, 12 patients with stage II, 12 Patients with stage III and 27 patients with stage IV. According to the TNM classification, patients were distributed as follows: T1 7, T2 28, T3 10, T4 7, TX 1, and N0 17, Nl 13, N2 21, N3 2. The primary tumor sites were tonsillar region in 36 patients ($67.9\%$), base of the tongue in 12 patients ($22.6\%$), and soft palate in 5 patients ($9.4\%$). Twenty-five patients were treated with radiation therapy alone and twenty-eight Patients were treated with one to three courses of chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy. Chemotherapeutic regimens used were either CF (cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) or CVB (cisplatin, vincristine and bleomycin). Radiation therapy was delivered 180-200 cGy daily, five times a week using 6 MV X-ray with or without 8-10 MeV electron beams A tumor dose ranged from 4500 cGy to 7740 cGy with a median dose of 7100 cGy. The follow-up time ranged from 4 months to 99 months with a median of 21 months. Results : Thirty-seven patients ($69.8\%$) achieved a CR (complete response) and PR (partial response) in 16 patients ($30.2\%$) after radiation therapy. The overall survival rates were $47\%$ at 2 years and $42\%$ at 3 years, respectively. The median survival time was 23 months. Overall stage (p=0.02) and response to radiation therapy (p=0.004) were significant prognostic factors for overall survival. The 2-year disease-free survival rate was $45.5\%$. T-stage (p=0.03), N-stage (p=0.04) and overall stage (P=0.04) were significant prognostic factors for disease-free survival. Age, sex, histology, primary site of the tumor, radiation dose, combination of chemotherapy were not significantly associated with disease-free survival. Among evaluable 32 Patients with CR to radiation therapy, 12 patients were considered to have failed Among these, 8 patients failed locoregionally and 4 Patients failed distantly. Conclusion : T-stage, N-stage and overall stage were significant prognostic factors for disease-free survival in the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer Since locoregional failure was the predominant pattern of relapse, potential methods to improve locoregional control with radiation therapy should be attempted. More controlled clinical, trials should be completed before acceptance of chemotherapy as a part of treatment of oropharyngeal carcinoma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.316-322
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• 2002

Objective : A retrospective study was peformed to evaluate whether postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy can improve survival and decrease recurrence as compared with surgery alone in resected esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods : From Jan. 1985 to Dec. 1993, among 94 esophageal cancer Patients treated with surgery, fifty-one patients were included in this study. Transthoracic esophagectomy was peformed in 35 patients and transhiatal esophagectomy in 16. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy was peformed 4 weeks after surgery in 26 among 38 patients in stage II and III. A total dose of $30\~60\;Gy$ in 1.8 Gy daily fraction, median 54 Gy over 6 weeks, was delivered in the mediastinum+both supraclavicular lymph nodes or celiac lymph nodes according to the tumor location. Forty-seven patients$(92\%)$ had squamous histology. The median follow-up period was 38 months. Results : The overall 2-year and 5-year survival and median survival were $56.4\%,\;36.8\%$ and 45 months. Two-year and 5-year survival and median survival by stage were $92\%,\;60.3\%$ for stage I, $63\%,\;42\%$ and 51 months for stage II and $34\%,\;23\%$ and 19 months for stage III (p=0.04). For stage II and III patients, 5-year survival and median survival were $22.8\%$, 45 months for the surgery alone group and $37.8\%$, 22 months for the postoperative RT group (p=0.89). For stage III patients, 2-year survival and median survival were $0\%$, 11 months for the surgery alone group and $36.5\%$, 20 months for the postoperative RT group (p=0.14). Local and distant failure rates for stage II and III were $50\%,\;16\%$ for the surgery alone and $39\%,\;31\%$ for the postoperative RT group. For N1 patients, local failure rate was $71\%$ for the surgery alone group and $37\%$ for the postoperative RT group (p=0.19). Among 10 local failures in the postoperative RT group, in-field failures were 2, marginal failures 1, out-field 5 and anastomotic site failures 2. Conclusion : There were no statistically significant differences in either the overall survival or the patterns of failure between the surgery alone group and the postoperative RT group for resected stage II and III esophageal cancer. But this study showed a tendency of survival improvement and decrease in local failure when postoperative RT was peformed for stage III or N1 though statistically not significant. To decrease local failure, a more generous radiation field encompassing the supraclavicular, mediastinal, and celiac lymph nodes and anastomotic site in postoperative adjuvant treatment should be considered.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2005

Purpose : To conduct a nationwide survey on the principals in radiotherapy for rectal cancer, and produce a database of Korean Patterns of Care Study. Materials and Methods : We developed web-based Patterns of Care Study system and a national survey was conducted using random sampling based on power allocation methods. Eligible patients were who had postoperative radiotherapy for rectal cancer without gross residual tumor after surgical resection and without previous history of other cancer and radiotherapy to pelvis. Data of patients were Inputted to the web based PCS system by each investigators in 19 institutions. Results : Informations on 309 patients with rectal cancer who received radiotherapy between 1998 and 1999 were collected. Male to female ratio was 59 : 41, and the most common location of tumor was lower rectum ($46\%$). Preoperative CEA was checked in $79\%$ of cases and its value was higher than 6 ng/ml in $32\%$. Pathologic stage were I in $1.5\%$, II in $32\%$, III in $53\%$, and IV in $1.6\%$. Low anterior resection was the most common type of surgery and complete resection was peformed in $95\%$ of cases. Distal resection margin was less than 2 cm in $30\%$, and number of lymph node dissected was less than 12 in $31\%$. Chemotherapy was peformed in $91\%$ and most common regimen was 5-FU and leucovorine ($59\%$). The most common type of field arrangement used for the initial pelvic field was the four field box (Posterior-Right-Left) technique ($65.0\%$), and there was no AP-PA parallel opposing field used. Patient position was prone in $81.2\%$, and the boost field was used in $61.8\%$. To displace bowel outward, pressure modulating devices or bladder filling was used in $40.1\%$. Radiation dose was prescribed to isocenter in $45.3\%$ and to isodose line in 123 cases ($39.8\%$). Percent delivered dose over $90\%$ was achieved in $92.9\%$. Conclusion : We could find the Patterns of Care for the radiotherapy in Korean rectal cancer patients was similar to that of US national survey. The type of surgery and the regimen of chemotherapy were variable according to institutions and the variations of radiation dose and field arrangement were within acceptable range.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.216-223
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• 2001

Purpose : We evaluated retrospectively the outcomes of inoperable squamous cell lung cancer patients treated with radiotherapy to find out prognostic factors affecting survival. Materials and methods : Four hundred and eleven patients diagnosed as squamous cell lung cancer between November 1988 and December 1997 were the basis of this analyses. The planned dose to the gross tumor volume was ranged from 30 to 70.2 Gy. Chemotherapy was combined in 72 patients $(17.5\%)$ with the variable schedule and drug combination regimens. Follow-up period ranged from 1 to 113 months with the median of 8 months and survival status was identified in 381 patients $(92.7\%)$. Overall survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results : Age ranged from 23 years to 83 years with the median 63 years. The male to female ratio was about 16:1. For all 411 patients, the median overall survival was 8 months and the 1-year survival rate (YSR), 2-YSR, and 5-YSR were $35.6\%,\;12.6\%,\;and\;3.7\%$, respectively. The median and 5-YSR were 29 months and $33.3\%$ for Stage IA, 13 months and $6.3\%$ for Stage IIIA, and 9 months and $3.4\%$ for Stage IIIB, respectively(p=0.00). The median survival by treatment aim was 11 months in radical intent group and 5 months in palliative, respectively (p=0.00). Of 344 patients treated with radical intent, median survival of patients (N=247) who received planned radiotherapy completely was 12 months while that of patients (N=97) who did not was 5 months (p=0.0006). In the analyses of the various prognostic factors affecting to the survival outcomes in 247 patients who completed the planned radiotherapy, tumor location, supraclavicular LAP, SVC syndrome, pleural effusion, total lung atelectasis and hoarseness were statistically significant prognostic factors both in the univariate and multivariate analyses while the addition of chemotherapy was statistically significant only in multivariate analyses. The acute radiation esophagitis requiring analgesics was appeared in 49 patients $(11.9\%)$ and severe radiation esophagitis requiring hospitalization was shown in 2 patients $(0.5\%)$. The radiation pneumonitis requiring steroid medication was shown in 62 patients $(15.1\%)$ and severe pneumonitis requiring hospitalization was occurred in 2 patients $(0.5\%)$. During follow-up, 114 patients $(27.7\%)$ had progression of local disease with 10 months of median time to recur (range : $1\~87\;months$) and 49 patients $(11.9\%)$ had distant failure with 7 months of median value (range : $1\~52\;months$). Second malignancy before or after the diagnosis of lung cancer was appeared in 11 patients Conclusion : The conventional radiotherapy in the patients with locally advanced squamous cell lung cancer has given small survival advantage over supportive care and it is very important to select the patient group who can obtain the maximal benefit and to select the radiotherapy technique that would not compromise the life quality in these patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 2007

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: To evaluate the relationship between the expression of EGFR, p53, Cox-2, Bcl-2 and the clinical parameters of NPC (nasopharyngeal carcinoma) patients treated with radiotherapy with/without chemotherapy, and to determine if these could be used as a biologic marker. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: This study retrospectively examined 75 NPC patients who were pathologically diagnosed at St. Mary's Hospital and Kangnam St Mary's Hospital from March 1988 to August 2002 and treated with radiotherapy with/without chemotherapy. The levels of EGFR, p53, Cox-2, and Bcl-2 expression were determined immunohistochemically. The relationship between the levels of EGFR, p53, Cox-2 and Bcl-2 expression and the H- E staining findings including the WHO classification, TNM stage, tumor response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, disease free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) was analyzed. $\underline{Results}$: At a median follow up of 50.8 months (range: $5.5{\sim}201$ months), the 3 years OS rate and PFS rate were 68.7% and 68.2%, respectively. The five year OS rate and PFS rate were 53.5% and 51.1%, respectively. The median OS duration and PFS duration were 85.5 months and 61.1 months, respectively. The WHO classification correlated with the complete response rate, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. The expression of p53 was associated with increased mitosis and poor overall survival. The expression of Bcl-2 correlated with the DFS and WHO classification. The expression of Cox-2 correlated with a poor overall survival and response rate in the lymph node. However, EGFR was not correlated with any factors. $\underline{Conclusion}$: These results suggest that the expression of p53, Cox-2, Bcl-2 plays role in predicting prognostic factors for NPC treated with radiotherapy with/without chemotherapy. However, further study on a larger number of patients will be needed to identify more useful biomarkers of NPC.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.231-239
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• 1990

From May 1979 through December 1981 a total of 524 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated by radiation therapy with curative intent. Among the 524 patients, 350 were treated with a high-dose-rate (HDR), remote-controlled, afterloading intracavitary irradiation (ICR) system using a cobalt source (Ralstron), and 168 patients received a low-dose-rate (LDR) ICR using a radium source. External beam irradiation with a total dose of 40-50 Gy to the whole pelvis followed by intracavitary irradiation with a total dose of 30-39 Gy in 10-13 fractions to point A was the treatment protocol. ICR was given three times a week with a dose of 3 Gy per fraction. Five-year actuarial survival rates in the HDR-ICR group were $77.6{\%}$ in stage IB (N=20), $68.2{\%}$ in stage II (N=182), and $50.9{\%}$ in stage III (N=148). In LDR-ICR group, 5-year survival rates were $87.5{\%}$ in stage IB (N=22), $66.3{\%}$ in stage II (N=91), and $55.4{\%}$ in stage III (N=52). Survival rates showed a statistically significant difference by stage, but there was no significant difference between the two ICR groups. Late bowel complications after radiotherapy were noted in $3.7{\%}$ of the HDR-ICR group and $8.4{\%}$ of the LDR-ICR group. There was no severe complication requiring surgical management. The incidence of bladder complications was $1.4{\%}$ in the HDR-ICR group and $2.4{\%}$ in the LDR-ICR group. The application of HDR-ICR was technically simple and easily performed on an outpatient basis without anesthesia, and the patients tolerated it very well. Radiation exposure to personnel was virtually nil in contrast to that of LDR-ICR. Within a given period of time, more patients can be treated with HDR-ICR because of the short treatment time. Therefore, the HDR-ICR system is highly recommended for a cancer center, particularly one with a large number of patients to be treated. In order to achieve an improved outcome, however, the optimum dose-fractionation schedule of HDR-ICR and optimum combination of intracavitary irradiation with external beam irradiation should be determined through an extensive protocol.