• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3827-3833
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• 2015

Background: Positive para-aortic lymph node (PALN) at diagnosis in cervical cancer patients confers an unfavorable prognosis. This study reviewed the outcomes of extended field radiotherapy (EFRT) and concurrent chemotherapy with extended field RT (CCEFRT) in patients with positive PALN at diagnosis. Materials and Methods: Medical records of 407 cervical cancer patients between 1st January 2002 to 31st December 2012 were reviewed. Some 32 cases with positive PALN were identified to have received definitive extended field radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. Treatment outcomes, clinicopathological factors affecting survival and radiotherapy related acute and late effects were analyzed. Results: Totals of 13 and 19 patients underwent EFRT and CCEFRT respectively during the period of review. The median follow-up was 70 months. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 40% for patients who underwent CCEFRT as compared to 18% for patients who had EFRT alone, with median survival sof 29 months and 13 months, respectively. The 5-years progression free survival (PFS) for patients who underwent CCEFRT was 32% and 18% for those who had EFRT. Median PFS were 18 months and 12 months, respectively. Overall treatment time (OTT) less than 8 weeks reduced risk of death by 81% (HR=0.19). Acute side effects were documented in 69.7% and 89.5% of patients who underwent EFRT and CCEFRT, respectively. Four patients (12.5%) developed radiotherapy late toxicity and there was no treatment-related death observed. Conclusions: CCEFRT is associated with higher 5-years OS and median OS compared to EFRT and with tolerable level of acute and late toxicities in selected patients with cervical cancer and PALN metastasis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.5
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• pp.1246-1257
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• 2021

Purpose To assess the predictive factors and describe the imaging features of mediastinal lymph node (MLN) metastases in patients with head and neck cancer. Materials and Methods We compared the clinical features and disease characteristics (sex, age, site of primary tumor, histologic type, history of prior treatments, TNM stages, and metastasis in cervical LNs) of patients with head and neck cancers between the MLN metastasis and no MLN metastasis groups. We also evaluated the chest CT (distribution and maximum dimension of the largest LN) and PET/CT (maximum standardized uptake value) features of MLN metastases based on the MLN classification. Results Of the 470 patients with head and neck cancer, 55 (11.7%) had MLN metastasis, involving 150 mediastinal stations. Hypopharynx cancer, recurrent tumor, T4 stage, N2/N3 stages, and M1 stage were found to be significant predicting factors for MLN metastasis. The most common location of MLN metastasis was ipsilateral station 2 (upper paratracheal LNs, 36.4%), followed by ipsilateral station 11 (interlobar LNs, 27.3%) and ipsilateral station 10 (hilar LNs, 25.5%). Conclusion Metastasis to MLNs should be considered in patients with head and neck cancer, especially in cases that are associated with a hypopharyngeal cancer, recurrent tumor, and high TNM stages.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.174-180
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• 2011

Purpose: To evaluate the radiotherapy treatment outcome of patients in stage IE and IIE nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma. Materials and Methods: From August 1999 to August 2009, 46 patients with stage IE and IIE nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma were treated by definitive radiotherapy and chemotherapy. 33 patients were treated with chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (CT + RT) and they received 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions. 13 patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and they received 40 Gy in 20 fractions. Results: The median follow-up period was 4.6-137.6 months (median, 50.2 months) for all patients. The 4-year overall survival was 68.6% and 4-year disease free survival (DFS) was 61.9%. The 4-year locoregional recurrence free survival was 65.0%, and 4-year distant metastasis free survival (DMFS) was 66.2%. For patients treated with CT + RT, 15 patients (45.5%) achieved complete response after chemotherapy, and 13 patients (39.4%) achieved partial response. 13 patients (81.8%) achieved complete response after radiotherapy, and 6 patients (18.2%) achieved partial response. For patients treated with CCRT, 11 patients (84.6%) achieved complete response, and one patient (7.7%) achieved partial response. In univariate analysis, presence of cervical lymph node metastasis was only significant prognostic factor for DFS and DMFS. Conclusion: This study did not show satisfactory overall survival rate and disease free survival rate of definitive radiotherapy and chemotherapy for stage IE and IIE nasal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma. For patients with cervical lymph node metastasis, further investigation of new chemotherapy regimens is necessary to reduce the distant metastasis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5165-5169
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• 2013

Background: To evaluate the pathological characteristics of invasive margins in early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinomas and their association with other clinicopathological features including clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods: Patients with FIGO stage IB-IIA cervical squamous cell carcinomas who received surgical treatment and had available follow-up information were identified. Their histological slides were reviewed for prognostic variables including tumor size, grade, extent of invasion, lymphovascular invasion, involvement of vaginal margin or parametrium, and lymph node metastasis. The characteristics of invasive margins including invasive pattern (closed, finger-like, or spray-like type), degree of stromal desmoplasia, and degree of peritumoral inflammatory reaction were evaluated along the entire invasive fronts of tumours. Associations between the characteristics of invasive margins and other clinicopathological variables and disease-free survival were assessed. Results: A total of 190 patients were included in the study with a median follow-up duration of 73 months. Tumour recurrence was observed in 18 patients (9%). Spray-like invasive pattern was significantly more associated as compared with closed or finger-like invasive pattern (p=0.005), whereas the degree of stromal desmoplasia or peritumoral inflammatory reaction was not. Low degree of peritumoral inflammatory reaction appeared linked with lymph node metastasis (p=0.021). In multivariate analysis, a spray-like invasive pattern was independently associated with marked stromal desmoplasia (p=0.013), whilst marked desmoplasia was also independently associated with low inflammatory reactions (p=0.009). Furthermore, low inflammatory reactions were independently associated with positive margins (p=0.022) and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.034). The patients with spray-like invasive pattern had a significantly lower disease-free survival compared with those with closed or finger-like pattern (p=0.004). Conclusions: There is a complex interaction between cancer tissue at the invasive margin and changes in surrounding stroma. A spray-like invasive pattern has a prognostic value in patients with early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.85-94
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• 1983

A total of 47 patients with a diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was treated in Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital during last 4 years. Of the 47 patients, 23(49%) had undifferentiated carcinoma, 20(43%) had squamous cell carcinoma, while 4(8%) had lymphoepithelioma. Most of the patients(71%) has Stage IV disease, cervical lymph node metastases were found in 36(77%) and distant metastasis was found in 1 at the time of diagnosis. Complete response rate after radiotherapy for 47 patients of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was 85.1%. The overall actuarial 3 year survival rates was 0.718 and the disease free actuarial 3 year survival rates was 0.468. Nodal involvement and symptom duration were statistically significiant influencing factors for actuarial survival rate. Treatment failures were found in 20 patients (42.6%), local recurrence only in 6(30%), local and neck recurrence in 3(15%), local recurrence with metastasis in 4(20%) and distant metastasis only in 7(35%). Local failures were more frequent in the patients with cranial nerve symptoms (P=0.032). Distant metastases were more frequent with T4 lesions (P=0.047), and with nodal involvement (P<0.01). Retreatment after the tumor recurrence was chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, two pationts refreated for local recurrence were alive without evidence of disease for more than 19 and 44 months after retreatment.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.6-10
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• 2015

Background and Objective : Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC) is known as slow growing cancer with good prognosis. However, extrathyroidal extension may increase the risk of cervical lymph node metastasis and local invasion to surrounding structures. The aim of this study was to assess the characteristic features of the tumor invading the posterior thyroid capsule. Material and Methods : We made a retrospective review of 123 PTMC patients with thyroid capsule invasion, pathologically staged as T3 or T4. 74 patients (60.2%) had invasion to posterior thyroid capsule (group A) while 49 patients (39.8%) had invasion to-anterior thyroid capsule or anterior wall of trachea (group B). We assessed the clinicopathologic factors of the patients according to the location of capsular invasion of PTMC. Results : There was no difference regarding age, gender, T and N classification and incidence of lymph node metastasis between two groups. Local invasion rate to recurrent laryngeal nerve was 6.8% in patients with posterior thyroid capsule invasion, while the incidence was zero in those with capsular invasion to other locations Conclusion : Increased risk of local invasion to the recurrent laryngeal nerve should be considered in patients with PTMC presenting invasion of the posterior capsule.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5331-5335
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the tumor-free and overall survival rates between patients with low-risk endometrial cancer who underwent surgical staging and those who did not undergo surgical staging. Materials and Methods: Data, including demographic characteristics, grade of the tumor, myometrial invasion, cervical involvement, peritoneal washing, lymph node involvement, lymphovascular space invasion, postoperative complication, adjuvant treatment, cancer recurrence, and tumor-free and overall survival rates, for patients with low-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer who were treated surgically with and without pelvic and paraaortic lymph node dissection (LND) were analyzed retrospectively. The patients diagnosed with endometrioid endometrial cancer including the following criteria were considered low-risk: 1) a grade 1 (G1) or grade 2 (G2) endometrioid histology; 2) myometrial invasion of <50% upon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); 3) no stromal glandular or stromal invasion upon MRI; and 4) no evidence of intra-abdominal metastasis. Then the patients at low-risk were divided into two groups; group 1 (n=117): patients treated surgically with pelvic and paraaortic LND and group 2 (n=170): patients treated surgically without pelvic and paraaortic LND. Results: There was no statistical significance when the groups were compared in terms of lymphovascular space invasion, cervical involvement, positive cytology, and recurrence, whereas the administration of an adjuvant therapy was higher in group 2 (p<0.005). The number of patients with positive pelvic nodes and the number of metastatic pelvic nodes were significantly higher in the group with positive LVI than in the group without LVI (p<0.005). No statistically significant differences were detected between the groups in terms of tumor-free survival (p=0.981) and overall survival (p=0.166). Conclusions: Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and stage-adapted postoperative adjuvant therapy without pelvic and/or paraaortic lymphadenectomy may be safe and efficient treatments for low-risk endometrial cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2015

Purpose: To analyze prognostic factors for locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant metastasis (DM), and overall survival (OS) in cervical cancer patients who underwent radical hysterectomy followed by postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in a single institute. Materials and Methods: Clinicopathologic data of 135 patients with clinical stage IA2 to IIA2 cervical cancer treated with PORT from 2001 to 2012 were reviewed, retrospectively. Postoperative parametrial resection margin (PRM) and vaginal resection margin (VRM) were investigated separately. The median treatment dosage of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) to the whole pelvis was 50.4 Gy in 1.8 Gy/fraction. High-dose-rate vaginal brachytherapy after EBRT was given to patients with positive or close VRMs. Concurrent platinum-based chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) was administered to 73 patients with positive resection margin, lymph node (LN) metastasis, or direct extension of parametrium. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used for analyzing LRR, DM, and OS; Cox regression was applied to analyze prognostic factors. Results: The 5-year disease-free survival was 79% and 5-year OS was 91%. In univariate analysis, positive or close PRM, LN metastasis, direct extension of parametrium, lymphovascular invasion, histology of adenocarcinoma, and chemotherapy were related with more DM and poor OS. In multivariate analysis, PRM and LN metastasis remained independent prognostic factors for OS. Conclusion: PORT after radical hysterectomy in uterine cervical cancer showed excellent OS in this study. Positive or close PRM after radical hysterectomy in uterine cervical cancer correlates with poor prognosis even with CCRT. Therefore, additional treatments to improve local control such as radiation boosting need to be considered.

• Journal of Gynecologic Oncology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.91.1-91.12
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• 2018

Objective: To examine the association between tumor grade and survival for women with squamous cervical cancer. Methods: This retrospective observational study utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result program data between 1983 and 2013 to examine women with squamous cervical cancer with known tumor differentiation grade. Multivariable analyses were performed to assess independent associations between tumor differentiation grade and survival. Results: A total of 31,536 women were identified including 15,175 (48.1%) with grade 3 tumors, 14,084 (44.7%) with grade 2 neoplasms and 2,277 (7.2%) with grade 1 tumors. Higher tumor grade was significantly associated with older age, higher stage disease, larger tumor size, and lymph node metastasis (all, p<0.001). In a multivariable analysis, grade 2 tumors (adjusted-hazard ratio [HR]=1.21; p<0.001) and grade 3 tumors (adjusted-HR=1.45; p<0.001) were independently associated with decreased cause-specific survival (CSS) compared to grade 1 tumors. Among the 7,429 women with stage II-III disease who received radiotherapy without surgical treatment, grade 3 tumors were independently associated with decreased CSS compared to grade 2 tumors (adjusted-HR=1.16; p<0.001). Among 4,045 women with node-negative stage I disease and tumor size ${\leq}4cm$ who underwent surgical treatment without radiotherapy, grade 2 tumors (adjusted-HR=2.54; p=0.028) and grade 3 tumors (adjusted-HR=4.48; p<0.001) were independently associated with decreased CSS compared to grade 1 tumors. Conclusion: Our study suggests that tumor differentiation grade may be a prognostic factor in women with squamous cervical cancer, particularly in early-stage disease. Higher tumor grade was associated with poorer survival.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2289-2293
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• 2013

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that are critical regulators of various diseases. MicroRNA-20a (miR-20a) and microRNA-203 (miR-203) have previously shown significant alteration in a range of cancers. In this study, the expression levels of miR-20a and miR-203 in 100 cervical cancer tissues were detected by qRT-PCR and compared to patient matched-nontumor cervical tissues. Correlations between expression level and clinicopathologic characteristics of cervical cancer were also analyzed. Finally, we studied the effect of miR-20a and miR-203 on cell proliferation in cervical cancer cell lines by MTT. We found that the expression level of miR-20a (P<0.001) was significantly higher in cervical cancer patients than in healthy controls, while that of miR-203 (P<0.001) was lower. Aberrant expression of miR-20a was correlated with lymph node metastasis (LNM), histological grade and tumor diameter, but down-regulated miR-203 was correlated with LNM only. Furthermore, we found that over-expression of miR-203 decreased cell proliferation, while reduction of miR-20a also prevented tumor progression. Our results support the involvement of miR-20a and miR-203 in cervical tumorigenesis. We propose that miRNAs might be used as therapeutic agents for cervical cancer.