• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.96-102
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• 2006

Purpose: A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the efficiency and feasibility of twice daily radiation therapy plus concurrent chemotherapy for limited-stage small cell lung cancer in terms of treatment response, survival, patterns of failure, and acute toxicities. Materials and Methods: Between February 1993 and October 2002, 76 patients of histologically proven limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) were treated with twice daily radiation therapy and concurrent chemotherapy. Male was in 84% (64/76), and median age was 57 years (range, 32-75 years). Thoracic radiation therapy consisted of 120 or 150 cGy per fraction, twice a day at least 6 hours apart, 5 days a week. Median total dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 45-51 Gy). Concurrent chemotherapy consisted of CAV ($cytoxan\;1000mg/m^2,\;adriamycin\;40mg/m^2,\;vincristine\;1mg/m^2$) alternating with PE ($cisplatin\;60mg/m^2,\;etoposide\;100mg/m^2$) or PE alone, every 3 weeks. The median cycle of chemotherapy was six (range, 1-9 cycle). Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) was recommended to the patients who achieved a complete response (CR). PCI scheme was 25 Gy/10 fractions. Median follow up was 18 months (range, 1-136 months). Results: Overall response rate was 86%; complete response in 39 (52%) and partial response in 26 (34%) patients. The median overall survival was 23 months. One, two, and three year overall survival rate was 72%, 50% and 30%, respectively. In univariate analysis, the treatment response was revealed as a significant favorable prognostic factor for survival (p<0.001). Grade 3 or worse acute toxicities were leukopenia in 46 (61%), anemia in 5 (6%), thrombocytopenia in 10 (13%), esophagitis in 5 (6%), and pulmonary toxicity in 2 (2%) patients. Of 73 evaluable patients, 40 (55%) patients subsequently had disease progression. The most frequent first site of distant metastasis was brain. Conclusion: Twice daily radiation therapy plus concurrent chemotherapy produced favorable response and survival for LS-SCLC patients with tolerable toxicities. To improve the treatment response, which proved as a significant prognostic factor for survival, there should be further investigations about fractionation scheme, chemotherapy regimens and compatible chemoradiotherapy schedule.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.248-254
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• 2006

$\underline{Purpose}$: To evaluate acute toxicities in cervix cancer patients receiving intensity modulated whole pelvic radiation therapy (IM-WPRT). $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: Between August 2004 and April 2006, 17 patients who underwent IM-WPRT were analysed. An intravenous contrast agent was used for radiotherapy planning computed tomography (CT). The central clinical target volume (CTV) included the primary tumor, uterus, vagina, and parametrium. The nodal CTV was defined as the lymph nodes larger than 1 cm seen on CT and the contrased-enhanced pelvic vessels. The planning target volume (PTV) was the 1-cm expanded volume around the central CTV, except for a 5-mm expansion from the posterior vagina, and the nodal PTV was defined as the nodal CTV plus a 1.5 cm margin. IM-WPRT was prescribed to deliver a dose of 50 Gy to more than 95% of the PTV. Acute toxicity was assessed with common toxicity criteria up to 60 days after radiotherapy. $\underline{Results}$: Grade 1 nausea developed in 10 (58.9%) patients, and grade 1 and 2 diarrhea developed in 11 (64.7%) and 1 (5.9%) patients, respectively. No grade 3 or higher gastrointestinal toxicity was seen. Leukopenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia occurred in 15 (88.2%). 7 (41.2%), and 2 (11.8%) patients, respectively, as hematologic toxicities. Grade 3 leukopenia developed in 2 patients who were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. $\underline{Conclusion}$: IM-WPRT can be a useful treatment for cervix cancer patients with decreased severe acute toxicities and a resultant improved compliance to whole pelvic irradiation.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2007

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: We performed a retrospective non-randomized clinical study of locally advanced rectal cancer, to evaluate the anal sphincter preservation rates, down staging rates and survival rates of preoperative chemoradiotherapy. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: From January 2002 to December 2005, patients with pathologically confirmed rectal cancer with clinical stage T2 or higher, or patients with lymph node metastasis were enrolled in this study. A preoperative staging work-up was conducted in 36 patients. All patients were treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy, and curative resection was performed for 26 patients at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital. Radiotherapy treatment planning was conducted with the use of planning CT for all patients. A total dose of $45.0{\sim}52.2\;Gy$ conventionally fractionated three-dimensional radiotherapy was delivered to the whole pelvis. Chemotherapy was given at the first and fifth week of radiation therapy with continuous infusion i.v. 5-FU (Fluorouracil) and LV (Leucovorine). Surgical resection was performed 2 to 4 weeks after the completion of the chemoradiotherapy regimen. $\underline{Results}$: The complete resection rate with negative resection margin was 100% (26/26). However, a pathologically complete response was not seen after curative resection. Surgery was done by LAR (low anterior resection) in 23 patients and APR (abdomino-perineal resection) in 3 patients. The sphincter preservation rate was 88.5% (23/26), down staging of the tumor occurred in 12 patients (46.2%) and down-sizing of the tumor occurred in 19 patients (73%). Local recurrence after surgical resection developed in 1 patient, and distant metastasis developed in 3 patients. The local recurrence free survival rate, distant metastasis free survival rate, and progression free survival rate were 96.7%, 87% and 83.1%, respectively. Treatment related toxicity was minimal except for one grade 3, one grade 4 anemia, one grade 3 leukopenia, and one grade 3 ileus. $\underline{Conclusion}$: Preoperative concurrent chmoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer seems to have some potential benefits: high sphincter preservation and down staging. Treatment related toxicity was minimal and a high compliance with treatment was seen in this study. Further long-term follow-up with a larger group of patients is required.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.59-70
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• 1977

This study was designed to evaluate the changes and improvements in the Korean diet during the last thirty years (since independence in 1945), and to make recommendations for the improvement of their nutritional status, consequently contributing to the physical and mental welfare of the Korean people. The results and recommendations are as follows: 1. The total calorie and carbohydrate intake decreased by $8{\sim}12%$ in the 1970's, as compared with the 1940's and the 1950's. 2. The intake of calcium and vitamiu A increased $30{\sim}50%$ and $20{\sim}60%$ respectively in the 1960's and 1970's as compared with the 1940,s. But this intake level is still lower than the RDA values. 3. The vitamin C intake was somewhat higher in the mountainous and farming areas than in urban areas. 4. In the 1970's, the decrease of untriend intake due to seasonal variation was marked especially for protein, niacin, vitamin $B_1$, and vitamin C. 5. The consumption of protein foods (meats and legumes) increased in an amount of $15{\sim}36g$ per day. There was a marked increase in the intake of meat in farming areas and of milk in urban areas in the 1970's. This increased intake of animal proteins is a very desirable dietary change. 6. The cereal consumption was lowest in urban areal, but there was a general decrease in the intake of the cereal group in the entire area in the 1970's. For the farmers, the intake of cereal food decreased most, from 750 g to 576 g, but cereals still composed a high proportion of the entire diet. 7. Fruits and vegetables showed the highest intake for the urban people, as expected. For the whole area, this food group showed an increase of 8.7% in the 1970's, as compared with the 1960's. 8. The gradual ihcrease in the intake of the fats and oil group was a desirable dietary change. but the absolute amount was too low. 9. A 7% increase in height and a 9% incrrase in weight for growing children and adolescents was observed in the 1970's as compared with the 1940's, but several kinds of deficiency diseases, such as nutritional anemia and dental caries were still apparent in many areas. 10. To improve cur food life and to cope with food shortages faced in Korea, an efficient and nationwide nutrition education program should be implemented. This would maximize efficiency of intake from the limited food sources for a balanced diet. 11. As it is of utmost importance to provide growing children with a desirable physical, sccial mental, and especially nutritional environment, a well-planned and organized school feeding program should be practiced widely and efficiently. 12. Young mothers and pregnant women should be educated on the importance of their children's nutrition, especially for the critical fetal and infancy periods. 13. More thorough and continuous nutritional survey studies on the changes in dietary patterns for the entire nation should be pursued, evaluated and documented. This would Provide a good information guide for future nutritional study programs. 14. It is the nutritionistist's strong desire that national leaders, especially decision makers recognize the fact that improvement of the nutritional status of the People is one of the most economic and preventative ways of improving their physical and mental health. This is closely related to the economic development and strength of the nation.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.428-436
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• 2003

Purpose: Increased periarticular uptake could be associated with peripheral bone marrow expansion in cancer patients with axial bone marrow metastasis. We compared bone scan and bone marrow scan to investigate whether the increased whole body count in patients with increased periarticular uptake on bone scan is useful in the diagnosis of axial marrow metastasis, and evaluate the role of additional bone marrow scan in these cases. Materials and methods: Twelve patients with malignant diseases who showed increased periarticular uptake on bone scan were included. Whole body count was measured on bone scan and it is considered to be increased when the count is more than twice of other patients. Bone marrow scan was taken within 3-7 days. Results: Five hematologic malignancy, 3 stomach cancer, 2 breast cancer, 1 prostate cancer and 1 lung cacner were included. All three patients with increased whole body count on bone scan showed axial marrow suppression and peripheral marrow expansion. Eight of 9 patients without increased whole body count showed axial marrow suppression and peripheral marrow expansion. One turned out to be blastic crisis of chronic myelogeneous leukemia, and seven showed normal axial marrow with peripheral marrow expansion in chronic anemia of malignancy. The last one without increased whole body count showed normal bone marrow scan finding. Conclusion: Increased whole body count on bone scan could be a clue to axial bone marrow metastasis in cancer patients with increased periarticular uptake, and bone marrow scan is a valuable method for differential diagnosis in these cases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.1225-1230
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• 2007

Purpose : Multiple transfusions in patients with chronic anemia can result in excessive iron deposition in tissues and organs. Effective iron chelation therapy in chronically transfused patients can only be achieved when iron chelators remove sufficient amounts of iron equivalent to those accumulated in the body from transfusions, thus leading to maintain body iron load at a non-toxic level. This study was retrospectively carried out to investigate the effect of intravenous iron chelation therapy with deferoxamine in patients who have received multiple transfusions. Methods : From March 2005 to January 2007, 15 patients who have received multiple transfusions were included in this study. Transfusion dependent patients were defined as those receiving >1 packed red blood cell (RBC) units/month for at least 6 months. They received intravenous deferoxamine for 7 days (10-30 mg/kg/day, 24 hour continuous infusions). Before and after deferoxamine infusions and 3 months later, we compared serum iron, TIBC, and ferritin in transfusion dependent patients and transfusion independent patients. Results : There were 6 males and 9 females and their age range was 5.6-21.3 (median 8.3) years. Transfusion dependent patients were 7 and 8 were transfusion independent states after stem cell transplantation or chemotherapy. There was no significant change in ferritin level after deferoxamine treatment for the transfusion dependent patients but significant falling of ferritin level was observed for the transfusion independent patients 3 months later compared with baseline ferritin level (P=0.046). Some adverse events were observed but symptoms were mild and tolerable. Conclusion : Seven days of intravenous deferoxamine was safe and effective in transfusion independent patients. In transfusion dependent patients, chelation therapy should be maintained, in order to minimize or prevent iron accumulation and storage in the tissues.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.1188-1193
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• 2007

Purpose : The prevalence of rickets in the world is on the rise not only in developing but also in developed countries. In Korea, breastfeeding has increased. There have been few studies on the possible association of rickets with breastfeeding. The purpose of this study was to identify the development and the clinical presentation of subclinical rickets in breastfed infants. Methods : We investigated patients who were breastfed and had hypovitaminosis D in the blood from May 2006 to April 2007, and who were diagnosed with vitamin D deficient rickets from May 2003 to April 2006. We evaluated the results of blood tests, x-rays and other relevant information in the medical record. A questionnaire that included questions on the diet of patients, the mothers activity during pregnancy and place of residence was administered. Results : Twelve patients (66%: male, 34%: female) were enrolled in this study. There were eight in the asymptomatic and four in the symptomatic group. The median age for each group was 8 months (range 4-11 month) and 5.5 months (5-8 month). All patients in the symptomatic group were breastfed until diagnosed. In the asymptomatic group, they were breastfed for four to six months, and then weaned with only thin rice soup and vegetables. Nine patients had a vitamin D concentration below 20 ng/mL and three patients had levels between 20 and 29 ng/mL. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were elevated in both groups. There were statistically significant $25-OHD_3$ levels in the blood in both groups (P=0.008). Ten of the patients (83%) also had iron deficient anemia. Conclusion : Vitamin D deficiency and subclinical rickets has been identified in Korea. However, the prevalence of this disease has not been determined. The main limitation of this study was the small number of patients and the absence of a control group.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.610-615
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• 2008

Purpose : Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a relatively common hematological disease in children. It generally occurs after exposure to a common viral infection episode; however, it may occasionally follow immunization with measles, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), hepatitis B (HBV), influenza, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP), or chickenpox vaccines. In this study, the incidence, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcome of vaccination-associated ITP were investigated and compared with non-vaccination-associated ITP. Methods : The admission records of 105 pediatric ITP patients between 0-14 years of age admitted to Department of Pediatrics, Wonkwang University Hospital from January 1994 to July 2007 were retrospecitively reviewed. Patients were grouped into a vaccination-associated group and a non-vaccination-associated group according to vaccination history within the previous 1 month, and various clinical features between the two groups were statistically analyzed. Results : Thirteen patients (12%) had a preceding vaccination. Eight had received DTP vaccination, 2 had received hepatitis B, and 1 each had received influenza, MMR, and Japanese B encephalitis vaccination. However, none of the patients had a recurrent thrombocytopenia after subsequent vaccinations. In the vaccination-associated group, the age was significantly lower, anemia was more common, and the risk period with blood platelet count $<20{\times}10^9/L$ was significantly shorter than for the in non-vaccination-associated group. Also, wet purpura was less prominent and the remission within 1month was more frequently achieved in the vaccination-associated ITP group. Conclusion : Vaccination-associated ITP patients showed mild symptoms with a more benign and shorter lasting course than non-vaccination-associated ITP patients. Moreover, platelet count assessment at the time of the next immunization may not be necessary.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.42-55
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• 2008

Purpose: A new health policy, referred to as the National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children, was launched in November 2007 by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and National Health Insurance Corporation in Korea. We have developed a nutrition-counseling program that was incorporated into this project. Methods: We reviewed the nutritional guidelines published by The Korean Pediatric Society and internationally well-known screening programs such as Bright Future in the United States. We also reviewed the recent Korean national surveys on nutritional issues, including the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the 2005 National Survey of Physical Body and Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents. The development of questions, pamphlets, computer programs, and manuals for doctors was carried out after several meetings of researchers and governmental officers. Results: We summarized the key nutritional issues according to age, including breastfeeding in infants, healthier complementary feeding, and prevention of iron deficiency anemia, establishment of healthier diets, as well as dietary prevention of overweight children with an emphasis on physical exercise. We have constructed a new Korean nutrition questionnaire and an anticipatory guidance program based on the primary care schedule of visits at 4, 9, 18, 30, and 60 months of age. Five to eight questions were asked at each visit and age-matched pamphlets for parents and guidelines for doctors were provided. Conclusion: We developed a nutrition-counseling program based on recent scientific evidence for Korean infants and children. Further research on this national program for screening the nutritional problems in detail and setting the therapeutic approaches may help identify areas of success as well as those that need further attention.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.383-394
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• 1979

Treatment of valvular heart disease with valve replacement has been one of the most popular procedures in cardiac surgery recently. Although, first effort was directed toward the prosthetic valve, it soon became popular that bioprosthesis, the valvular xenograft, was prefered in the majority cases. Valvular xenograft has some superiority to the artificial prosthetic valve in some points of thromboembolism and hemolytic anemia, and it also has some inferiority of durability, immunologic reaction and resistance to Infection. Tremendous efforts were made to cover the inferiority with several methods of collection, preservation, and valve mounting of the porcine valve or pericardium of the calf, and also with surgical technique of the valvular xenograft replacement. Auther has collected 320 porcine aortic valves immediately after slaughter, and aortic cusps were coapted with cotton balls in the Valsalva sinuses to protect valve deformity after immersion in the Hanks' solution, and oxidation, cross-linking and reduction procedures were completed after the proposal of Carpentier in 1972. Well preserved aortic valves were suture mounted in the hand-made tissue valve frame of 19, 21, and 23 mm J.d., and also in the prosthetic vascular segment of 19 mm Ld. with 4-0 nylon sutures after careful trimming of the aortic valves. Completed valves were evaluated with bacteriologic culture, pressure tolerance test with tolerane gauge, valve durability test in the saline glycerine mixed solution with tolerance test machine in the speed of 300 rpm, and again with pathologic changes to obtain following results: 1. Bacteriologic culture of the valve tissue in five different preservation method for two weeks revealed excellent and satisfactory result in view of sterilization including 0.65% glutaraldehyde preservation group for one week bacteriologic culture except one tissue with Citobacter freundii in 75% ethanol preserved group. 2. Pressure tolerance test was done with an apparatus composed of V-connected manometer and pressure applicator. Tolerable limit of pressure was recorded when central leaking jet of saline was observed. Average pressure tolerated in each group was 168 mmHg in glutaraldehyde, 128 mmHg in formaldehyde, 92 mmHg in Dakin's solution, 48 mmHg in ethylene oxide gas, and 26 mmHg in ethanol preserved group in relation to the control group of Ringer's 90 mmHg respectively. 3. Prolonged durability test was performed in the group of frame mounted xenograft tissue valve with 300 up-and-down motion tolerance test machine/min. There were no specific valve deformity or wearing in both 19, 21, and 23 mm valves at the end of 3 months (actually 15 months), and another 3 months durability test revealed minimal valve leakage during pressure tolerance test due to contraction deformity of the non-coronary cusp at the end of 6 months (actually 30 months) in the largest 23 mm group. 4. Histopathologic observation was focussed in three view points, endothelial cell lining, collagen and elastic fiber destructions in each preservation methods and long durable valvular tolerance test group. Endothel ial cell lining and collagen fiber were well preserved in the glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde treated group with minimal destruction of elastic fiber. In long durable tolerance test group revealed complete destruction of the endothelial cell lining with minimal destruction of the collagen and elastic fiber in 3 month and 6 month group in relation to the time and severity. In conclusion, porcine xenograft treated after the proposal of Carpentier in 1972 and preserved in the glutaraldehyde solution was the best method of collection, preservation and valve mounting. Pressure tolerance and valve motion tolerance test, also, revealed most satisfactory results in the glutaraldehyde preserved group.