• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.334-342
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• 2002

Purpose : The aim of this study was to determine if postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) alone and concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT), following radical surgery, improved the disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in rectal cancer AJCC stage II and III patients. Materials and Methods : A total of 144 patients with AJCC stage II and III rectal cancer who had had radical surgery between 1989 and 1999 were included in the study. Of these patients, 72 had been treated with postoperative CT, and the other 72 with postoperative CCRT. The chemotherapy regimen consisted of oral UFT on a daily basis for $1\~12$ months (median 12 months) or 5-FU ($500\;mg/m^2$ for 5 days) intravenous (IV) chemotherapy with 4 week intervals for $1\~18$ cycles (median 6 cycles). Radiation of 4,500 cGy was delivered to the surgical bed and regional pelvic lymph nodes area, followed by $540\~1,440\;cGy$ (median 540 cGy) boost to the surgical bed. The follow-up period ranged from 20 to 150 months, with a median of 44 months. Results : The 5-year OS was $60.9\%\;and\;68.9\%$ (p=0.0915), and the 5-year DFS was $56.1\%\;and\;63.8\%$ (p=0.3510) for postoperative CT and postoperative CCRT, respectively. In the stage nm patients, the 5-year OS was $71.1\%\;and\;92.2\%$, and the 5-year DFS was $57.3\%\;and\;85.4\%$ for postoperative CT and CCRT, respectively. The OS was significantly improved (p=0.0379) but the DFS was not with postoperative CCRT compared to the postoperative CT (p=0.1482). In the stage III patients, the 5-year OS was $52.0\%\;and\;55.0\%$, and the 5-year DFS was $47.8\%\;and\;49.8\%$ for postoperative CT and postoperative CCRT. There were no statistically significant differences between postoperative CT and CCRT (p=0.4280 and p=0.7891) in OS and DFS. The locoregional relapses were $16.7\%\;and\;12.5\%$ for postoperative CT and CCRT, respectively. The distant relapses were $25.0\%\;and\;26.4\%$ for postoperative CT and CCRT, respectively. Conclusion : These results showed that postoperative CCRT compared with CT alone improved OS in stage II patients. Although there was no statistical significance, the addition of postoperative RT to CT reduced locoregional relapses compared to CT alone.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 1995

Purpose: This analysis was to compare the result of radiation alone and chemoradiation in cervical cancer in terms of response, survival, failure, and complication. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 135 cervical cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy from November 1985 to December 1991 was performed. Fifty-six patients were treated with radiation alone and 79 patients were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy plus radiation. Follow-up period ranged from 5 to 105 months with a median 47 months. According to the FIGO classification, the patients were subdivided into 18 $(13.3\%)$ stage IB, 7 $(5.2\%)$ stage IIA, 97 $(71.9\%)$ stage IIB, and 9 $(6.7\%)$ stage IIIB. Results: A complete response was noted in 51 patients $(91.1\%)$ of the radiation alone group, and 68 patients $(86.1\%)$ of the chemoradiation group. There was no statistical difference in complete response rate between the two groups. Overall survival rate at 5 years was $73.3\%$. According to stage, overall survival rates at 5 years were $88.9\%$ in stage IB, $85.7\%$ in stage IIA, $73.8\%$ in stage IIB, and $37.5\%$ in stage IIIB, respectively. According to treatment modality, overall survival rates at 5 years were $81.9\%$ in the radiation alone group, $67.0\%$ in the chemoradiation group (p=0.22). Disease-free survival rate at 5 years were $70.4\%$ in the radiation alone group. $68.5\%$ in the chemoradiation group (p=0.85) Locoregional control rates at 5 years were $76.1\%$ in the radiation alone group, $73.8\%$ In the chemoradiation group (p=0.70). Distant disease-free survival rates at 5 years were $83.9\%$ in the radiation alone group, $90.3\%$ in the chemoradiation group (p=0.59). Treatment-related bone marrow suppressions were noted in 3 $(5.4\%)$ patients of the radiation alone group, 14 patients $(17.7\%)$ of the chemoradiation group (p(0.05). Grade 2 vesical complications were noted in 14 patients of the radiation alone group. and 10 Patients of the chemoradiation group. Grade 2 rectal complications were noted in 2 patients of the radiation alone group, and 3 Patients of the chemoradiation group. One case of rectal perforation was noted in the chemoradiation group, and grade 2 small bowel obstructions were noted in 2 patients of the radiation alone group. There were no statistical differences in the incidence of vesicar, rectal, and small bowel complicaions between the two groups. Conclusion: No statistical difference was found between the radiation alone group and the chemoradiation group in terms of response, survival, and failure. but the incidence of bone marrow suppression was higher in the chemoradiation group.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2006

Purpose: To evaluate the treatment outcome according to the salvage treatment modalities and identify the prognostic factors influencing the survival. Materials and Methods: Forty-five patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer treated between 1994 to 2003 were reviewed retrospectively. Median time from initial surgery to loal recurrence was 16months. Of the patients, 25 (56%) recurred at presacral and perirectal space. Among the 18 (40%) patients who received salvage surgery, 14 patients were treated with postoperative chemoradiotherapy. Among 27 (60%) patients who didn't receive salvage surgery, 16 were treated with chemoradiotherapy and 11 were treated with radiotherapy alone. Radiotherapy was given with total dose ranging from 37.5 to 64.8 Gy. Results: Five-year locoregional progression-free survival rate and overall survival rate of all patents were 49.5% and 34.3%, respectively. The 5-year locoregional progression-free survival rate and overall survival rate of patients undergoing salvage surgery were 77.0% and 52.1% compared with 36.0% and 37.9% f3r patients treated with chemoradiotherapy and 0% and 0% for patients treated with radiotherapy alone, respectively. The 5-year locoregional progression free survival and overall survival of patients who recurred earlier than 24 months were higher (67.5% and 59.1%) than the other patients (39.5% and 24.9%). Among the 27 patients who didn't receive salvage surgery, there was no significant difference for locoregional progression free survival and overall survival between re-irradiated patients and radiation-naive patients. Conclusion: Surgical resection is preferred to treatment for locally recurrent rectal cancer. If salvage surgery is not possible, chemoradiotherapy may achieve higher locoregional progression free survival and overall survival than radiotherapy alone.

• 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.9 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 1991

Thirty-one patients with previously untreated and locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer were retrospectively reviewed for comparing the effects of radical radiotherapy alone with that of combining chemotherapy and radiotherapy from 1983 to 1989 at Kangnam 51. Mavy's hospital.23/31 were evaluable for recurrence and suwival. There were 8 patients for stage III, and 15 patients for stage IV. Eleven patients were treated with radical radiation therapy done (arm I). Twelve patients were given 1~3 courses of cisplatin-5FU or cisplatin-bleomycin-vincristine prior to radiation therapy (arm II). The two arms were comparable in patient characteristics Of 11 radiotherapy Patients, complete response was 55%(6/11) and Partial response 45%(5/11). Among 12 patients after induction chemotherapy, complete response was 25%(3/12) and partial response 75%(9/12). After subsequent radiotherapy, complete response was increased to 83%(10/12) and partial response was 17%(2/12). Treatment failure was 30%(local recurrence; 3/11, and regional recurrence; 1/11) in arm 1 and 33% (local recurrence; 1/12, regional recurrence; 2/12 and distant metastasis; 1/12) in arm ll . There was no significant difference in survival between arm I and arm II (p> 0.05). The toxicities of treatment were acceptable. More controlled clinical trials must be completed before acceptance of chemotherapy as part of a standard radical treatment for locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2004

Purpose : Evaluate the efficacies and toxicities of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), with or without intraluminal brachytherapy (ILB), using a retrospective analysis in esophageal carcinomas with respect to survival. Materials and Methods : From April 1995 to July 2001, a total of 65 patients, diagnosed with an esophageal carcinoma, were treated by CCRT, with 21 also treated by ILB after CCRT. External radiotherapy was peformed using 6 or 10 MV X-rays, with a dose range of $46.8~\69.6$ Gy (median; 59.4). The ILB was peformed using high-dose-rate brachytherapy with Ir-192. The fractionation of ILB was 3 Gy by 4, or 5 Gy by 2 fractions. Cisplatin $(75\;mg/m^2)$ was given on each first day of weeks 1, 5, 9 and 13, and 5-FU $(1,000\;mg/m^2)$ as a continuous infusion for the first 4 days of each course. Results : The median survival time of all patients was 15 months, and the 1, 2 and 3-year survival rates were 55.4, 29.2 and $20.7\%$, respectively. The 2-year survival rates of the patients with and without ILB were 33.3 and $27.3\%$, respectively (p=0.80). The 2-year survival rates of the patients with a complete, partial and no response were 44.1, 13.8 and $0\%$, respectively (p=0.02). The response to treatment was the only significant factor affecting the overall survival from a multivariate analysis. Conclusion : This study has shown that the survival outcomes of CCRT were much better than previous results with radiotherapy alone. However, the addition of ILB after CCRT showed no advantage over that of CCRT alone.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2001

The treatment of maxillary cancer has been commonly performed by the surgery and radiation therapy, alone or in combination. Multimodal treatment has been introduced with improvement of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Multimodal treatment for the maxillary cancer is composed of surgery, radiation therapy, and regional intra-arterial chemotherapy. The present study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the multimodal treatment with Morita's method, with a slight modification, for the maxillary cancer. Twenty-four cases of the maxillary cancer were analyzed. The multimodal treatment increased the 5-year-survival rate up to 66% and reduced the need for maxillectomy. This method made the morphological and funtional preservation possible. This method may be recommended for the treatment of maxillary cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.367-377
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• 1993

Background: The benefits of combination chemotherapy in unresectable non-small cell lung cancer remain uncertain. But, according to the recent reports, the response rates of cisplatin-based polychemotherapy regimens are higher than those of single agent. Also, the response rates of high-dose cisplatin group are higher than those of low-dose cisplatin group. In attemp to answer the question whether treatments, combination chemotherapy (high VPP) and combination chemotherapy with radiation therapy, improve survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, we begin to study. Method: Thirty-five patients above stage III, diagnosed histologically as non-small cell lung cancer, were enrolled. Among them, nineteen received a combination chemotherapy consisting of VP-16 & high-dose cisplatin (100 $mg/m^2$) and/or radiation therapy. The other group (16 subjects) received no therapy. To investigate the differences of survival and response rates between two groups and the side effects related to therapy, we reviewed patients' records. Results: 1) The overall objective response rate was 47%(9/19) with one complete remission. 2) In patients who received polychemotherapy and radiation therapy, the response rate was 60%(6/10) with one complete remission and survival rates of 3 months, 6 months and 12 months were 100%, 70% and 40%. 3) In patients who received polychemotherapy, the response rate was 33% (3/9) with no complete remission and survival rates of 3 months, 6 months and 12 months were 78%, 67% and 33%. 4) Overall, treated patients survived significantly longer (p<0.05) than non-treated patients (median survival 307 days versus 95 days). 5) Analysis of the various prognostic factors disclosed that good performance status, stage III and squamous cell type showed the good response rates. 6) The toxicities were nausea and/or vomiting (100%), alopecia (90%), anemia (79%), leukopenia (69%), thrombocytopenia (2%), increased creatinine (16%) and neurotoxicity (5%). Conclusion: According to above results, there are relatively good results that high VPP combination chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer improves survival in the treated group than in the non-treated group. Thus, it is considerd that we select the patients with proper indications and treat them with effective chemotherpy and radiation therapy. But, because improvement related to high VPP ploychemotherapy is not marked in this study, it is necessary that we should investigate follow-up studies in many cases.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2002

Purpose : This study was undertaken to analyze the efficacy and sphincter preservation rate of platinum based neoadjuvant chemotherapy Plus radiotherapy versus abdominoperineal resection and Postoperative radiotherapy for anal cancer. Materials and Methods : Data of forty-two patients with anal cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Among thirty-eight patients with epidermoid histology, four patients received radiotherapy, and nineteen patients received abdominoperineal resection and adjuvant radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy $(APR+RT{\pm}CT)$, and fifteen patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CRT). The CRT regimen was composed of three cycles of 5-fluorouracil $(1,000\;mg/m^2\;bolus\;on\;D1\~5)$ and cisplatin $(60\;mg/m^2\;bolus\;on\;D1)$ followed by 50.4 Gy to the tumor bed and regional lymphatics over 5.5 weeks. Both inguinal lymphatics were treated with an identical dose schedule. Residual disease was treated with an additional three cycles of identical adjuvant chemotherapy. An identical dose schedule was used for post-operative radiotherapy. Median follow-up period was eighty-five months. Results : Overall five-year survival rates were $80.3\%$, 88.9 and $79.4\%$ for entire patients, $APR+RT{\pm}CT$ group, and the CRT group, respectively. No significant difference was found between the two groups (p=0.49). Anus preservation rate for the CRT group was $86.7\%$. Age (0=0.0164) and performance status (p=0.0007) were found to be significant prognostic factors by univariate analysis. Age (p=0.0426), performance status (p=0.0008), and inguinal lymph node metastasis (e=0.0093) were statistically significant prognostic factors by multivariate analysis. No case of RTOG grade 3 complication or higher was reported. Conclusion : This and other recent studies have shown that combined chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for anal cancer results in a high rate of anal sphincter preservation as well as local control and survival. Furthermore, neoadjuvant use of chemotherapy with a cisplatin based regimen rather than a concurrent regimen may lead to a decrease in complications.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.78-83
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• 2009

Purpose: To examine the effect of suboptimal chemotherapy in patients undergoing preoperative chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 43 patients who received preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy, followed by radical surgery for the treatment of pathologically proven adenocarcinoma of the rectum from April 2003 to April 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. The delivered radiation dose ranged from 41.4 to 50.4 Gy. The standard group consisted of patients receiving two cycles of a 5-FU bolus injection for three days on the first and fifth week of radiotherapy or twice daily with capecitabine. The standard group included six patients for each regimen. The non-standard group consisted of patients receiving one cycle of 5-FU bolus injection for three days on the first week of radiotherapy. The non-standard group included 31 patients. Radical surgery was performed at a median of 58 days after the end of radiotherapy. A low anterior resection was performed in 36 patients, whereas an abdominoperineal resection was performed in 7 patients. Results: No significant difference was observed between the groups with respect to pathologic responses ranging from grades 3 to 5 (83.3% vs. 67.7%, p=0.456), downstaging (75.0% vs. 67.7%, p=0.727), and a radial resection margin greater than 2 mm (66.7% vs. 83.9%, p=0.237). The sphincter-saving surgery rate in low-lying rectal cancers was lower in the non-standard group (100% vs. 75%, p=0.068). There was no grade 3 or higher toxicity observed in all patients. Conclusion: Considering that the sphincter-saving surgery rate in low-lying rectal cancer was marginally lower for patients treated with non-standard, suboptimal chemotherapy, and that toxicity higher than grade 2 was not observed in the both groups, suboptimal chemotherapy should be avoided in this setting.