• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.685-690
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• 2007

Background: In the past, radiotherapy was the gold standard for the treatment of upper esophageal cancer, but the long-term follow-up was disappointing. There is still ongoing debate on the surgical management of these patients. This study was undertaker to update our experience with upper esophageal carcinoma and to evaluate the effectiveness of surgery. Material and Method: From May 1995 to December 2005, 147 patients with esophageal cancer underwent surgery at our hospital. They were divided into two groups: one group consisted of 23 patients with upper esophageal (cervical and upper thoracic) cancer and another group consisted of 424 patients with lower esophageal (middle thoracic, lower thoracic and abdominal) cancer. We evaluated the effectiveness of surgical treatment between the 2 groups by measuring the rate of complete surgical resection, the postoperative complications, the postoperative mortality, tumor recurrence, the average life expectancy and the long-term survival. Result: On comparing both groups, there was no significant difference in the distribution of the pathological stage and no significant difference in the percentage of performing complete surgical resection. The percentage of post-operative complications was 39.1% (9 out of 23 patients) in the upper esophageal cancer group, and this was significantly higher than 16.9% (21 out of 124 patients) in the lower esophageal cancer group (p<0.05). However, there was no significant statistical difference between the groups for the percentages of postoperative mortality, tumor recurrence or the postoperative average life expectancy. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in operative mortality or surgical effectiveness between the 2 groups. Therefore, we thought that surgical treatment is also effective for treating upper esophageal cancer, but further investigation with large patient populations will be required.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3673-3676
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• 2015

To observe and analyze the characteristic trend of cancer patients hospitalized for the first time in Shanxi Tumor Hospital from 2001 to 2010, clinical data including case number, age, gender, and frequency of different tumor occurrences were collected and statistically analyzed. Results: (i) From 2001 to 2010, the number of cancer patients hospitalized for the first time increased by 1.3-fold; (ii) The patient overall average age also increased from 51.8 to 54.4, for males from 55.5 to 58.7 and females from 48.4 to 51.1, respectively. (iii) Male patients accounted for 43-48% and females accounted for 52-57% of the total. The percentage of female patients was higher than that of male patients in every year and showed an upward trend over the years, while that of the males showed a downward trend (${\chi}^2=7.031$, p=0.008); (iv) Among the top 6 most common cancers, lung, cervical, esophageal, colorectal and breast cancers tended to increase over the years (p<0.05), but not gastric cancer (p=0.423). Conclusions: (i) The number of cancer patients hospitalized for the first time during the past 10 years increased year by year, and was higher for female than male; (ii) the average age of patients increased year after year and was greater for male than female; (iii) the number of patients with lung cancer, cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer increased over years.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.681-688
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• 1996

Most patients with carcinoma of the cervico-thoracic esophagus present with locally advanced disease. For this reason, therapeutic efforts have been largely palliative, focused on eradicating locoregional dis- ease, and have been attended by high morbidity rates. A 61 year old man was diagnosed to advanced cervicothoracic esophageal cancer(Type 1) and reli ved concurrent chromo-radiotherapy for 2 months in St. Mary's Hospital. And then he underwent transhiatal subtotal esophagectomy and radical dissection of cervical and superior mediastinal Iymph nodes with thoracoscopy. The histologic diagnosis was early esophageal cancer(Type 0-llb, SM2) and the curability of operation was calculated to highly curative(Clll). And the postoperative course was unevenful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1032-1037
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• 1995

Between September 1988 and December 1993, 32 cases of benign esophageal stricture, of which 12 males and 20 females, were managed in Seoul National University Hospital hospital. Their age ranged from 2 to 61 years, and the mean age was 33.9 years. The ingestion of caustic agent was the most common cause, and the caustic material was acid in 16 patients [58% and alkali in 11patients [39% . Nearly all of the patients complained of dysphagia, and some of chest pain, epigastric pain, weight loss, vomiting, general malaise, and dyspnea. The most frequent site of stricture was found in the upper thoracic esophagus with 34% incidence followed by the lower thoracic esophagus[28% , whole esophagus[19% , and the mid esophagus[16% . The operations performed were 17[53% ECG[esophagocologastrostomy , 5[16% PCG[pharyngocologastrostomy , 5[16% EG[esophagogastrostomy , 2 EJG [esophagojejunogastrostormy by free jejunal graft , and 1 case each of EJ [esophagojejunostomy , esophageal end to end anastomosis, jejunostomy only, and gastrostomy only. In 23 patients [72% , diseased esophaguses were resected, using transhiatal total esophagectomy in 15 [47% and transthoracic partial esophagectomy in 8 [25% . Of those 23 patients, 3 patients [9.4% were diagnosed as esophageal carsinoma on microscopic examination. The postoperative most common complications were unilateral vocal cord palsy in 6 patients [19% , followed by cervical anastomosis leakage in 4 patients [12.5% , wound infection in 2 patients [6% , and pneumothorax in 2 patients [6% . Late death occurred 8 months after the operation in one patient, which was associated with infection due to anastomotic leakage. Our experience shows that the rate of mortality and the morbidity were low in patients receiving surgical management for esophageal stricture and that the cancer transformation rate was high. We recommend esophageal reconstruction surgery with esophagectomy [transhiatal or transthoracic for the esophageal stricture because it can avoid a chance of prevent cancer transformation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4791-4795
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to observe the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed based chemotherapy in treating patients with locally advanced or metastatic cancers as first-line, second-line or third-line therapy. Materials and Methods: From May 2011 to January 2015, we recruited 29 patients with advanced breast cancer, 19 patients with advanced ovary cancer, 17 patients with advanced esophageal cancer,5 patients with advanced gallbladder cancer,5 patients with advanced cervical cancer and 1 patient with advanced tongue cancer in Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and Research Institute.All of them were pathologically confirmed and treated with pemetrexed based chemotherapy. After two cycles of treatment,efficacy and safety can be evaluated. Results: For pemetrexed based regimens,including 76 patients with 6 kinds of advanced cancer were considered eligible for inclusion. Complete remission represents CR, partial remission represents PR, stable disease represents SD, progressive disease represents PD. Among 29 patients with advanced breast cancer, 4 patients chose pemetrexed based regimens as second-line treatment,1 of them was PR,the other 3 got SD. The last 25 patients made use of this chemotherapy as third-line treatment, except one patient could not be assessed, 2 of them got PR,6 of them got SD,the remaining 16 of them finally were PD.19 patients with advanced ovary cancer,5 patients used this regimens as second-line treatment, 3 of them got PD,the remaining patients got SD, respectively. The last 14 patients made use of pemetrexed based regimens as third-line treatment,. RR (CR+PR) was 28.5%. Among 17 patients with advanced esophageal cancer, 2 patients made use of pemetrexed based regimens as first-line treatment,both of them got PR.4 of them used this chemotherapy as second-line regimen, except 2 patients could not be assessed,the remaining 2 was PD at last. The last 11 patients was third-line users, RR (CR+PR) was 18.2%. Among 5 patients with advanced gallbladder cancer, pemetrexed based regimens was used in 1 patient as first-line treatment and 1 patient as second-line treatment. The curative effect was SD and PD, respectively. 3 patients accepted pemetrexed based regimens as third-line treatment, 2 of them got PD as results and another was SD. Among 5 patients with advanced cervical cancer, just 1 patient adopted pemetrexed based regimens as first-line treatment, whose curative effect was PR.2 patients chose this chemotherapy regimens as second-line treatment. Both of them got PD as their consequence. The last 2 patients made use of the regimens as third-line treatment, the effect of them was PD and SD, respectively. The one who with advanced tongue cancer, pemetrexed based regimens was used as second-line treatment, and the consequence was PD. About 71.1% patients experienced bone marrow suppression. Among them, 5 patients reached 4 grade. Other toxicity of pemetrexed were neurotoxicity, fatigue, diarrhea, dysphagia and vomiting. No treatment related death occurred with pemetrexed-based treatment. Conclusions: Pemetrexed based chemotherapy has considerable effect in patients with advanced cancers such as breast cancer,esophageal cancer and ovary cancer. More randomly clinical trials are needed to verify the results.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.99-105
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• 1996

The reconstruction of esophageal defect after ablative surgery have more difficult than other digestive tract tumor because the restoration of anatomical and physiologic function is difficult, the risk of tumor invasion into the adjacent tissue is large. The reconstruction of cervical esophus was depended on the degree of resection of the esophagus, various reconstruction method was developed to minimize functional deficiency and deformity of cervical region. Recently, the free jejunal transfer or free radial forearm flap was commonly utilized for esophageal reconstruction due to development of technique of the microvascular anastomosis. After the esophageal reconstruction used by free jejunal transfer was reported by Seidenberg in 1951, jejunum is most commonly used for reconstruction of esophgus. Becaue of, it have been tubed anatomical similarity with muscular layer, relative small risk of complication, possible of oral intake within 10 days after operation, and early rehabilitaion. Authors have been treated esophageal defect with free jejunal transfer in 7 patients after resection of lesion in 6 eshageal cancer and 1 esophageal stricture from December 1994 to January 1996. We were transferred jejunum used by intercostal artery as recipient artery in 3 cases, it was satisfied with results. If intercostal artery was utilized as recipient artery for free jejunal transfer, we believe that any site of intrathoracic or intraabdominal esophageal defect is possible to recontruction.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.170-176
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• 1995

Fourty nine patients out of 127 esophageal cancer were managed surgically from January 1986 to December 1991, at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Jeonbuk National University Hospital. Most frequent preoperative symptom was dysphagia and its mean duration was 3.1 months. In histopathologic examination, squamous cell carcinomas were 44 cases [89.8% , and adenocarcinomas 5 [10.2% . The tumor location were the upper esophagus in 6.1%, middle esophagus in 57.2%, lower and cardiac portion of stomach in 36.7%. Involved and metastatic organs, which were detected perioperatively, were celiac lymph nodes in 6 cases, aorta 2, stomach 2, pericardium 2, cervical lymph node 1. The esophagus was resected radically, and the procedures for esophageal replacement were performed with esophagogastrostomy in 45 cases, esophagocologastrostomy 3, and esophagojejunostomy 1. Postoperative complications occurred in 16 cases [hospital morbidity = 32.6% ,anastomotic leak 3, anastomotic stricture 2, respiratory insufficiency 2, hemoperitoneum 1, chylothorax 1, intussusception 1, empyema 1, non-A,non-B hepatitis 1, and mediastinitis 1. Hospital deaths were experienced 3 cases [ hospital mortality = 6.1% . The 6 month, one, two, and five year actuarial survival rates were 85.7%, 71.4%, 57.1%, and 27.9%, respectively. One year survival rates of stages were 100% in stage I, 90.9% in stage IIa, 63.6% in stage IIb, 25.0% in stage III, and 7.2% in stage IV.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.329-338
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• 2017

Background: The clinical value of 3-field lymph node dissection (3FLND) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains controversial. This study aimed to identify the patterns and prognostic significance of cervical lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in ESCC. Methods: A retrospective review of 77 patients with E SCC who underwent esophagectomy and 3FLND between 2002 and 2016 was conducted. For each cervical node level, the efficacy index (EI), overall survival, recurrence rate, and complication rate were compared. Results: CLNM was identified in 34 patients (44.2%) who underwent 3FLND. Patients with CLNM had a significantly lower overall survival rate (22.7% vs. 58.2%) and a higher recurrence rate (45.9% vs. 16.3%) than patients without CLNM. CLNM was an independent predictor of recurrence in ESCC patients. Moreover, in patients with pathologic N3 tumors, the odds ratio of CLNM was 10.8 (95% confidence interval, 2.0 to 57.5; p=0.005). Level IV dissection had the highest EI, and level IV metastasis was significantly correlated with overall survival (p=0.012) and recurrence (p=0.001). Conclusion: CLNM was a significant prognostic factor for ESCC patients and was more common among patients with advanced nodal stages. Level IV exhibited the highest risk of metastasis, and dissection at level IV may be crucial when performing 3FLND, especially in advanced nodal stage disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.140-147
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• 1994

Reconstruction of the pharynx and cervical esophagus presents a tremendous challenges to surgeons. Over the past 2 years[1990, Dec.-1993, Jun], the free jejunal graft has been performed in 17 cases in Korea Cancer Center Hospital.The indications of this procedures were almost malignant neoplasms involving neck and upper aero-digestive tract; Hypopharyngeal cancer[12 cases, including 2 recurrent cases], laryngeal cancer[2 cases], thyroid cancer[2 cases, including 1 recurrent case], cervical esophageal cancer[1 case]. There were fifteen men and two women, and the mean age was 59.6 years. The anastomosis site of jejunal artery were common carotid artery[16 cases] or external carotid artery[1 case] and that of jejunal vein were internal jegular [15 cases] or facial[1 case] and superior thyroid vein[1 case]. The length of jejunal graft was from 9 cm to 17 cm[mean 13 cm] and the mean ischemic time was 68 minutes. There was one hospital mortality which was irrelevant to procedures[variceal bleeding] and one graft failure[1/16]. Other postoperative complications were neck bleeding or hematoma[3 cases], abdominal wound infection or disruption[5 cases], anastomosis site leakage[1 case], pneumonia[2 cases], graft vein thrombosis[1 case], and food aspiration[1 case]. The function of conduit was excellent and ingestion of food was possible in nearly all cases. Postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy was also applicable without problem in 7 cases. During follow-up periods, the anastomosis site stenosis developed in four patients, and the tracheal stoma was narrowed in one case but easily overcome with dilation. In conclusion, we think that the free jejunal graft is one of the excellent reconstruction methods of upper digestive tract, especially after radical resection of malignant neoplasm in neck with a high success rate and low mortality and morbidity rate.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Reports
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.71-75
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• 2020

Esophageal cancer is easy to infiltrate and metastasize because esophagus does not have serosa, and is difficult to remove it because esophagus is in the middle of the chest. Because of this, treatments of esophageal cancer do not always follow the guideline. In this situation, efforts to increase treatment efficiency and improve survival rate through multidisciplinary treatment are increasing. In this case, we report the patient with three superficial esophageal cancers (one in cervical esophagus and two in thoracic esophagus). The patient was treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy instead of surgery through multidisciplinary discussion. The patient reached a complete remission through this discussion. This case is intended to inform the usefulness of multidisciplinary treatment in patients with esophageal cancer.