• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.920-926
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• 1997

Remarkable effect of pain relief and prevention of the postoperative Complications after thoracotomy has been achieved by continuous intravenous analgesia. This study was carried out with thirty patients who underwent posterolateral thoraco tony. The patients were divided into three groups: Group I(n= 10), the patients with intermittent intramuscular analgesia(piroxicam 20 mg), Group II(n=10), the patients with continuous epidural analgesia(0.5% bupivacaine 30m1 + normal saline 30 ml + morphine 10 mg), and Group III(n= 10) the patients with controlled intravenous infusion of analgesics(fentanyl 2500 mfg +normal saline 10 ml). The results w re as follows; 1) There were no significant changes of vital signs, between groups. 2) Tidal volume and FVC were significantly improved in the group II and III compared with the group I during the first postoperative day. 3) A significant reduction of immediate post-thoracotomy pain was achieved in the group II and III compared with the group I. 4) The limitation of motion in the operative side was less in the group II and III compared with the group I. 5) A signi(icant reduction of the postoperative analgegics consumption was noticed in group II and III. 6) Significant complications were not occured during follow-up period in all groups.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2003

Purpose: To evaluate the results of radiation management on recurrence, survival and prognostic factors of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer Materials and Methods: Forty-nine patients, treated for nasopharyngeal cancer by radiotherapy between January 1984 and June 2000, were retrospectively studied. All patients were followed up for at least 2.5 years. Their median age was 52 years (range 17$\~$78). The histological types were 21 squamous cell carcinoma, 25 undifferentiated carcinoma, and 3 adenoid cystic carcinoma. The tumor stages were as follows: T1 in 14 patients, T2 in 24, T3 in 3, and T4 in 8, and N0 in 17 patients, Nl in 15, N2 in 4 and N3 in 13. Stages I, IIa, IIb ,III, IV and IVb were 4, 7, 12, 5, 8, and 13 patients respectively. Radiation doses of 58$\~$70 Gy (median 68.7 Gy) were given to the nasopahryngeal and involved lymphatic areas and of 46 $\~$ 50 Gy to the uninvolved neck areas. Results: The overall 5 and 10-year actuarial and disease free survival rates were 54.53$\%$ and 47$\%$ and 55.7$\%$ and 45.3$\%$, respectively The overall five-year survival rates were 100$\%$ in stage I , 80$\%$ in stage IIa, 59.5$\%$ in stage IIIb, 40$\%$ in stage III, and 42.2$\%$ in stage IV tumors. Twenty-three patients fatted either loco-regionally or distantly. Incidences of local failure, regional failure and distant metastasis for the first failure were 20.4$\%$, 8.2$\%$ and 20.4$\%$, respectively. Local recurrences were 4.3$\%$ in T1, 12.5$\%$ in T2, 0$\%$ in T3, and 62.5$\%$ in T4 lesions. Distant metastasis was seen in 41.2$\%$ of N2-3 lesions. Fifty percent of local recurrence appeared within 2 years of treatment at the primary lesion, whereas 70$\%$ of distant metastasis appeared within 2 years following treatment. Young age, female, early T stage, N0 stage; and poorly differentiated carcinoma were all related with good survival. However only stage showed statistically significance. Conclusionn: Based on the results of this study, radiation therapy to nasopharyngeal cancer showed high local recurrence in T4 and increased metastasis in N2-3 lesions. To improve local failure, further radiation doses, such as stereotactic radiation or IMRT radiation, are necessary especially in T4 lesions. The high incidence of distant metastasis in positive lymph node patients, indicates that combined radiation and effective chemotherapeutic agents with appropriated schedule are necessary.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.466-473
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• 2000

Background : Patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer are often treated with radiation alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Both modalities have a potentially damaging effect on pulmonary function. In order to examine changes in the cardiopulmonary exercise function of patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer before and after conventional radiotherapy, we conducted a prospective study involving patients with such cancer, that had received radiation therapy. Method : Resting pulmonary function test, thoracic radiographic finding and cardiopulmonary exercise test(CPET) were assessed prior to and 4 weeks following radiation therapy in 11 male patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Patient with endobronchial mass were excluded. Results : The forces vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second ($FEV_1$ and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) did not decreased between before and 4 weeks after radiation but the diffusing capacity (DLCO) had decreased by 11% 4 weeks after radiation, which was not statistically significant. No changes in maximal oxygen consumption ($VO_2$max), carbon dioxide production ($VCO_2$), exercise time and work load were attributed to radiation therapy. Follow up cardiopulmonary exercise testing revealed unchanged cardiovascular function, ventilatory function and gas exchange. No difference in cardiopulmonary exercise test performance was observed between pre- and post-radiation. Conclusion : Cardiopulmonary exercise function did not decrease within the short-term after the radiation of patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.267-279
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• 2003

Background : The purpose of this study was to analyze the smoking habits in patients with lung cancer and identify any difference of prevalence according to histologic types of lung cancer. Methods : The data were calculated by total amounts of tar and nicotine inhaled during the whole lifetime according to variation of smoking habit. This study was to investigated any difference of prevalence in lung cancer according to smoking habits. The subjects comprised 150 lung cancer cases and 300 hospital control cases that were matched by age and sex. Smoking habits during the whole lifetime were surveyed by standardized questionnaire. Odds ratios were estimated by unconditional logistic regression analysis. Results : There were 104 male and 34 female lung cancer cases. By histologic type, there were 53 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 67 of adenocarcinoma and 30 of small cell lung carcinoma. The differences between lung cancer cases and controls according to smoking habits were total duration of smoking, total pack years of smoking and number of cigarettes smoked per day during the previous two years. The odds ratio were higher in Kreyberg I, but not in Kreyberg II, for the longer duration of smoking, the greater total pack years of cigarettes consumed, the more cigarettes smoked per day during the previous two years, the longer duration on non-filter smoking, the earlier life cases who began to smoke, and the higher amounts of calculated total tar and nicotine inhaled over the whole lifetime. When we added grade of inhalation to calculation of amounts of tar and nicotine inhaled over the lifetime, the odds ratios of total inhalation amounts of tar and nicotine were as high as those the without them. Conclusions : This study reconfirmed that smoking habits were strongly associated with lung cancer and that there were different associations between smoking habits and histologic types of lung cancer. In particular, calculations of total tar and nicotine amounts inhaled over the whole lifetime were calculated for the first time in trials from lung cancer epidemiologic studies.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.331-338
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• 1995

Purpose : To evaluate our clinical experience with the combination of teletherapy and intraluminal brachytherapy in patients with unresectable or inoperable esophageal cancers. Materials and Methods : From Nov 1989 to Mar 1993, twenty patients with esophageal cancer were treated with radical radiotherapy and intraluminal brachytherapy at Yonsei Cancer Center. All patients had squamous histolgy and stage distribution was as follows: stage II, 4($20{\%}$)patients; III, 15 ($75{\%}$)patients; IV, 1($5{\%}$)patients. A dose of S-12Gy/1-3weeks with intraluminal brachytherapy (3-5Gy/fraction) to 5mm from the outside of the esophageal tube using high dose rate Iridium-192 remotely afterloading brachytherapy machine was given 2 weeks after a total dose of 59-64Gy with external radiotherapy. Induction chemotherapy using cisplatin and 5-FU was performed in 13 patients with median 3 cycles(1-6 cycles), Response rate, local control rate, survival and complications were analysed retrospectively. Results : Two-year overall survival rate and median survival were $15.8{\%}$ and 13.5 months. Response rates were as follows complete remission(CR) 5($25{\%}$): partial remission a(PRa) 7($35{\%}$): partial remission b(PRb) 7($35{\%}$), no response(NR) 1($5{\%}$). Patterns of failure were as follows; local failure 13($65{\%}$), local and distant failure 3($15{\%}$), distant failure 0($0{\%}$). Ultimate local control rate was $20{\%}$. Treatment related complications included esophageal ulcer in two patients and esophageal stricture in one. Conclusion : Though poor local conrol rate, median survival was improved as compared with previous results of radiation therapy alone(8months) and chemoradiation combined treatment(11 months) in Yonsei Cancer Center High-dose-rate intraluminal brachytherapy following external irradiation is an effective treatment modality with acceptable toxicity in esophageal cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.77-82
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• 2008

Purpose: We evaluated the failure pattern of the celiac axis, gastric lymph node, and treatment outcome in the upper and mid-esophageal region of cancer patients treated by definitive radiotherapy, except when treating the celiac axis and gastric lymph node for treatment volume, retrospectively. Materials and Methods: The study constituted the evaluation 108 patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer receiving radiotherapy or a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy at Chonbuk National University Hospital from January 1986 to December 2006. In total, 82 patients treated by planned radiotherapy, except when treating the celiac axis and gastric lymph node for treatment volume, were analysed retrospectively. The study population consisted of 78 men and 2 women(mean age of 63.2 years). In addition, 51 patients received radiotherapy alone, whereas 31 patients received a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The primary cancer sites were located in the upper portion(17 patients), and mid portion(65 patients), respectively. Further, the patients were in various clinical stages including T1N0-1M0(7 patients), T2N0-1M0(18 patients), T3N0-1M0(44 patients) and T4N0-1M0(13 patients). The mean follow up period was 15 months. Results: The various treatment outcomes included complete response(48 patients), partial response(31 patients) and no response(3 patients). The failure patterns of the lymph node were comprised of the regional lymph node(23 patients) and the distance lymph node which included celiac axis and gastric lymph node(13 patients). However, metastasis was not observed in the regional and distant lymph node in 10 patients, whereas 36 patients were not evaluated. Furthermore, of the 13 patients who developed celiac axis and gastric lymph node metastases, 3 were in stage T1N0-1M0 and 10 were in stage T2-4N0-1M0. A complete response appeared in 12 patients, whereas a partial response appeared in 1 patient. The mean survival time of the patients who appeared for regional and distant lymph node metastasis was 14.4 and 7.0 months, respectively. Conclusion: In locally advanced esophageal cancer patients, who were treated by definitive radiotherapy without celiac axis and gastric lymph node irradiation, the distant lymph node metastasis rate was high and the overall survival rate was lower compared to the regional lymph node metastasis. The incidence of regional and distant lymph node metastasis was high in patients who appeared beyond clinical stage T2 and received radiotherapy alone.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.128-137
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• 2006

Purpose: We investigated whether a relationship exists between tumor control dose 50 ($TCD_{50}$) or tumor growth delay (TGD) and radiation induced apoptosis (RIA) in syngeneic murine tumors. Also we investigated the biological markers that can predict radiosensitivity in murine tumor system through analysis of relationship between $TCD_{50}$, TGD, RIA and constitutive expression levels of the genetic products regulating RIA. Materials and Methods: Syngeneic murine tumors such as ovarian adenocarcinoma, mammary carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, hepatocarcinoma were used In this study. C3H/HeJ mice were bred and maintained in our specific pathogen free mouse colony and were $8{\sim}12$ weeks old when used for the experiments. The tumors, growing in the right hind legs of mice, were analyzed for $TCD_{50}$, TGD, and RIA at 8 mm in diameter. The tumors were also analyzed for the constitutive expression levels of $p53,\;p21^{WAF1/CIP1},\;BAX,\;Bcl-2,\;Bcl-X_L,\;Bcl-X_S$, and p34. Correlation analysis was peformed whether the level of RIA were correlated with $TCD_{50}$ or TGD, and the constitutive expression levels of genetic products regulating RIA were correlated with $TCD_{50}$, TGD, RIA. Results: The level of RIA showed a significant positive correlation (R=0.922, p=0.026) with TGD, and showed a trend to correlation (R=-0.848), marginally significant correlation with $TCD_{50}$ (p=0.070). It indicates that tumors that respond to radiation with high percentage of apoptosis were more radiosensitive. The constitutive expression levels of $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$ and 34 showed a significant correlation either with $TCD_{50}$ (R=0.893, p=0.041 and R=0.904, p=0.035) or with TGD (R=-0.922, p=0.026 and R=-0.890 p=0.043). The tumors with high constitutive expression levels of $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$ or p34 were less radiosensitive than those with low expression. Conclusion: Radiosensitivity may be predicted with the level of RIA in murine tumors. The constitutive expression levels of $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$ or p34 can be used as biological markers which predict the radiosensitivity.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 1998

Purpose : To evaluate survival rate and prognostic factors affecting survival of patients with esophageal cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiation. Materials and Methods : Eligibility included biopsy proven invasive carcinoma of the cervical or thoracic esophagus, confined to esophagus and mediastinum with or without regional lymph node and supraclavicular lymph node, and ECOG Performance status $H_0-H_2$. Patients received radiation therapy with 5940cGy over 7 weeks and chemotherapy, consisted of 5-FU(1000 $mg/m^2/day$ in continuous infusion for 5 days, days 1 to 5 and days 29 to 33) and mitomycin C($8mg/m^2$ intravenous bolus at day 1). After concurrent chemoradiation, maintenance chemotherapy was followed with 5-FU(1000 $mg/m^2/day$ in continuous infusion for 5 days at 9th, 13th, and 17th weeks) and cisplatin($80mg/m^2$ intravenous bolus at the first day of each cycle). Results : From November 1989 to November 1995, 44 patients were entered in this study. After treatment, complete response rate and partial response rate were $59\%$ and $41\%$. Overall 1, 2, and 5-year survivals were $59\%$, $38\%$, and $9.6\%$(median 17 months), Prognostic factors affecting survival were response to treatment and T-stage. Among 26 complete responders, there were 6 local recurrences, 3 distant recurrences, 1 local and distant recurrence, and 2 unknown site recurrences Acute and chronic complication rates with grade 3 or more were $20\%$ and $13.0\%$ and there was no treatment-related mortality. Conclusion : Concurrent chemoradiation, compared with historical control groups that treated with radiation alone, improved median survival and did not significantly increase treatment-related complications. Complete responders had longer survival duration than partial responders. Predominant failure pattern was local failure. So, efforts to improve local control should be proposed.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.261-268
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• 2003

Purpose: To report the results of curative treatment for patients with tonsil cancer by retrospective analysis. Materials and Methods: From Jan. 1995 till Dec. 2000, 27 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil received curative treatment at Samsung Medical Center. Therapeutic decision was made through multidisciplinary conference, and curative radiation therapy was favored when, (1) the patient's condition was not fit for general anesthesia and surgery, (2) the patient refused surgery, (3) complete resection was presumed impossible, or (4) too severe disability was expected after surgery. Surgery was the main local modality in 17 patients (S$\pm$RT group), and radiation therapy in 10 (RT$\pm$CT group). The median follow-up period was 41 months. Results: AJCC stages were I/II in four, III in two, and IV in 21 patients. The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 73.3$\%$ in all patients, 70.6$\%$ in the S$\pm$RT group, and 77.8$\%$ in the RT$\pm$CT group. Treatment failure occurred in seven patients, all with stage III/IV, and all the failures occurred within 24 months of the start of treatment. Five patients among the S$\pm$CT group developed treatment failures; 2 local, 2 regional, and 1 distant (crude rate=29.4$\%$). Two patients among the RT$\pm$CT group developed failures; 1 synchronous local and regional, and 1 distant (crude rate=20.0$\%$). The 5-year overall survival rate was 77.0$\%$ in all patients, 80.9$\%$ in the S$\pm$RT group, and 70.0$\%$ in the RT$\pm$CT group. Conclusion: We could achieve favorable results that were comparable to previously reported data with respect to both the rates of local control and of survival by applying S$\pm$RT and RT$\pm$CT. RT$\pm$CT is judged to be an alternative option that can avoid the functional disability after surgical resection.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 1992

Cis-Platinum (DDP) was utilized as a radiosensitizer in a pilot study for stage III and IV squamous cell carcinoma between 1984-1987, and DDP 20 $mg/M^2$/day was administered for 4 days at 3 week interval with concurrent radiotherapy. This study consisted of three phases: cytoreduction phase, eradicative treatment phase and adjuvant phase. Total 59 patients were subjected to evaluate a tumor response and its toxicity. During the eradicative phase,27 patients underwent surgery (group I ), 29 patients were treated with radiotherapy only (group II) and 3 patients did not complete the second phase of therapy. At the cytoreduction phase, $95\%$ response rate with complete response (CR) $47.5\%$ and partial response (PR) $47.5\%$ was observed. Complete tumor clearance (CTC) rate following 2nd phase of therapy was $84\%$ (47/56) with 26/27($96\%$) in group I achieved CTC with surgery and 21/29 ($72\%$) patients In group II achieved CTC following 2nd phase. $67\%$ of primary lesions and $70\%$ of nodal diseases in group I showed no tumor in the surgical specimen. $34\%$ of patiets who achieved CTC at 2nd phase developed recurrence and median time to recur was 8 months. Actuarial disease free survival at 4 years was $59\%$ and $51\%$(24/27) of patients who achieved CTC at 2nd phase were alive without any evidence of disease at median follow-up 31 months (range, 10-48 months). There was no significant difference in overall and disease free survival between group I and II between CR and PR group following 1st Phase. Only significant Prognostic factor in this study was the complete tumor clearance following 2nd phase theapy. In general, toxicity was not excessive. Author concludes that this study confirmed the significant radiosensitizing effect of DDP with the acceptable toxicity and warrant the prospective study to determine optimum scheduling for DDP and radiotherapy which maximizes the therapeutic gain.