• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.2055-2060
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• 2015

Purpose: To present information about prognostic factors of gastric cancer patients treated in our Erzurum center including age, gender, tumour location, pathological grade, stage and the effect of treatment on survival. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was performed on patients who applied to our clinic and diagnosed as gastric cancer. Age and gender of the patients, primary location, histopathological characteristics, TNM stage of the gastric cancers (GCs), treatment applied, oncological treatment modalities and survival outcomes were studied. A univariate analysis of potential prognostic factors was performed with the log-rank test for categorical factors and parameters with a p value < 0.05 at the univariate step were included in the multivariate regression. Results: A total of 228 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of gastric cancer were included in the study with a male/female ratio of 1.47. Median follow-up period was estimated as 22.3 (range, 3 to 96) months. When diagnosis of the patients at admission was analysed, stage III patients were most frequently encountered (n=147; 64.5%). One hundred and twenty-six (55.3%) underwent surgical treatment, while 117 (51.3%) were given adjuvant chemotherapy. Median overall survival time was 18.0 (${\pm}1.19$) months. Mean overall survival rates for 1, 2, 3 and 5 years were $68{\pm}0.031%$, $36{\pm}0.033%$, $24{\pm}0.031%$and $15.5{\pm}0.036%$, respectively. Univariate variables found to be significant for median OS in the multivariate analysis were evaluated with Cox regression analysis. A significant difference was found among TNM stage groups, location of the tumour and postoperative adjuvant treatment receivers (p values were 0.011, 0.025 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: This study revealed that it is possible to achieve long-term survival of gastric cancer with early diagnosis. Besides, in locally advanced GC patients, curative resection followed by adjuvant concomitant chemoradiotherapy based on the McDonald regimen was an independent prognostic factor for survival.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.5075-5079
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• 2015

Background: Adverse effects of treatment prolongation beyond 8 weeks with radiotherapy for cervical cancer have been established. Clinical data also show that cisplatin increases the biologically effective dose of radiotherapy. However, there are no data on the effect of overall treatment time in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with concomitant chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) in an Indian population. The present study concerned the feasibility of concurrent chemotherapy and interspacing brachytherapy during the course of external radiotherapy to reduce the overall treatment time and compare the normal tissue toxicity and loco-regional control with a conventional schedule. Materials and Methods: Between January 2009 and March 2012 fifty patients registered in the Gynaecologic Oncology Clinic of Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital with locally advanced cervical cancer (FIGO stage IIB-IIIB) were enrolled. The patients were randomly allocated to treatment arms based on a computer generated random number. Arm I (n=25) treatment consisted of irradiation of the whole pelvis to a dose of 50 Gy in 27 fractions, and weekly cisplatin $40mg/m^2$. High dose rate intra-cavitary brachytherapy (HDR-ICBT) was performed after one week of completion of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The prescribed dose for each session was 7Gy to point A for three insertions at one week intervals. Arm II (n=25) treatment consisted of irradiation of the whole pelvis to a dose of 50 Gy in 27 fractions. Mention HDR-ICBT ICRT was performed after 40Gy and 7Gy was delivered to point A for three insertions (days 23, 30, 37) at one week intervals. Cisplatin $20mg/m^2/day$ was administered from D1-5 and D24-28. Overall treatment time was taken from first day of EBRT to last day of HDR brachytherapy. The overall loco-regional response rate (ORR) was determined at 3 and 6 months. Results: A total of 46 patients completed the planned treatment. The overall treatment times in arm I and arm II were $65{\pm}12$ and $48{\pm}4$ days, respectively (p=0.001). At three and six months of follow-up the ORR for arm I was 96% while that for arm II was 88%. No statistically significant difference was apparent between the two arms. The overall rate of grade ${\geq}3$ toxicity was numerically higher in arm I (n=7) than in arm II (n=4) though statistical significance was not reached. None of the predefined prognostic factors like age, performance status, baseline haemoglobin level, tumour size, lymph node involvement, stage or histopathological subtype showed any impact on outcome. Conclusions: In the setting of concurrent chemoradiotherapy a shorter treatment schedule of 48 days may be feasible by interspacing brachytherapy during external irradiation. The response rates and toxicities were comparable.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.200-209
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• 2018

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) using simultaneous integrated boost-intensity modulated radiotherapy (SIB-IMRT) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) patients. Materials and Methods: Between January 2011 and May 2015, 47 LAPC patients received CRT using SIB-IMRT. Prior to SIB-IMRT, 37 patients (78.7%) received induction chemotherapy (IC-CRT group) and remaining 10 patients (21.3%) did not received induction chemotherapy (CRT group). During SIB-IMRT, all patients received concomitant chemotherapy, with gemcitabine (n = 37) and capecitabine (n = 10). Results: At the time of analysis, 45 patients had died and 2 patients remained alive and the median follow-up time was 14.2 months (range, 3.3 to 51.4 months). For all patients, the median times of local progression-free survival (LPFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were 18.1, 10.3, and 14.2 months, respectively. The median time of LPFS between IC-CRT and CRT groups was similar (18.1 months vs. 18.3 months, p = 0.711). IC-CRT group had a higher trend in PFS (10.9 months vs. 4.1 months, p = 0.054) and had significantly higher OS (15.4 months vs. 9.5 months, p = 0.007) than CRT group. In multivariate analysis, the use of induction chemotherapy and tumor response were significant factors associated with OS (p < 0.05, each). During SIB-IMRT, toxicity of grade ≥3 was observed in 7 patients (14.9%) in all patients. Conclusions: CRT using SIB-IMRT is feasible and promising in LAPC patients.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2016

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate changes in the management and 5-year survival rates of patients with oral cancer in our department over a 30-year period. Materials and Methods: We investigated the patient distributions, treatment methods, method of neck dissection according to cancer stage, and 5-year survival rates for 700 oral cancer patients over the periods of 1982-1996 (256 patients), 1999-2006 (248 patients), and 2007-2011 (196 patients). Results: Stage IV patients were the largest group in all of the time periods evaluated. Although surgery and radiotherapy were the most common methods in all periods (over 50%), the prevalence of patients who underwent concomitant chemoradiotherapy increased from 7.0% to 16.2%. The use of radical neck dissection decreased from 43.0% to 5.3%, while conservative surgical methods increased from 24.1% to 76.3%. Lastly, the overall 5-year survival rate increased from 31.6% to 63.5% during the study period. Conclusion: Although the 5-year survival rate reached the same level as that of other developed countries during the course of our study, most patients continue to come to the hospital with stage IV disease. In order to increase the 5-year survival rate of oral carcinoma, it may be necessary to improve public education and social efforts relevant to early diagnosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.257-264
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• 2004

Background : There are many combinations of treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recent studies have showed the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in NSCLC. At present, however, there is no consensus about the optimal dosages and timing of radiation and chemotherapeutic agents. The aims of study were to determine the feasibility, toxicity, response rate, and survival rate in locally advanced NSCLC patients treated with doxetaxel and cisplatin based CCRT. Method : Sixteen patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC were evaluated from May 2000 until September 2001. Induction chemoradiotherapy consisted of 3 cycles of docetaxel (75 $mg/m^2/IV$ on day 1) and cisplatin (60 $mg/m^2/IV$ on day 1) chemotherapy every 3 weeks and concomitant hyperfractionated chest irradiation (1.15 Gy/BID, total dose of 69 Gy) in 6 weeks. Patient who had complete or partial response, and stable disease were applied consolidation chemotherapy of docetaxel and cisplatin. Results : All patients showed response to CCRT. Four patients achieved complete response (25%), partial responses in 12 patients (75%). The major common toxicities were grade III or more of neutropenia (87.3%), grade III esophagitis (68.8%), pneumonia (18.8%) and grade III radiation pneumonitis (12.5%). Thirteen patients were ceased during follow-up period. Median survival time was 19.9 months (95% CI; 4.3-39.7 months). The survival rates in one, two, and three years are 68.7%, 43.7%, and 29.1%, respectively. Local recurrence was found in 11 patients (66.8%), bone metastasis in 2, and brain metastasis in 1 patient. Conclusion : The response rate and survival time of CCRT with docetaxel/cisplatin in locally advanced NSCLC were encouraging, but treatment related toxicities were high. Further modification of therapy seems to be warranted.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 2001

Purpose : To assess the tolerance, complete response rate, bladder preservation rate and survival rate in patients with muscle-invading bladder cancer treated with selective bladder preservation protocol. Method and Materials : From October 1990 to June 1998, twenty six patients with muscle-invading bladder cancer (clinical stage T2-4, N0-3, M0) were enrolled for the treatment protocol of bladder preservation. They were treated with maximal TURBT (transurethral resection of bladder tumor) and 2 cycles of MCV chemotherapy (methotrexate, crisplatin, and vinblastine) followed by $39.6\~45\;Gy$ pelvic irradiation with concomitant cisplatin. After complete urologic evaluation (biopsy or cytology), the patients who achieved complete response were planed for bladder preservation treatment and treated with consolidation cisplatin and radiotherapy (19.8 Gy). The patients who had incomplete response were planed to immediate radical cystectomy. If they refused radical cystectomy, they were treated either with TURBT followed by MCV or cisplatin chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The median follow-up duration is 49.5 months. Results : The Patients with stage T2-3a and T3b-4a underwent complete removal of tumor or gross tumor removal by TURBT, respectively. Twenty one out of 26 patients $(81\%)$ successfully completed the protocol of the planned chemo-radiotherapy. Seven patients had documented complete response. Six of them were treated with additional consolidation cisplatin and radiotherapy. One patient was treated with 2 cycles of MCV chemotherapy due to refusal of chemo-radiotherapy. Five of 7 complete responders had functioning tumor-free bladder. Fourteen patients of incomplete responders were further treated with one of the followings : radical cystectomy (1 patient), or TURBT and 2 cycles of MCV chemotherapy (3 patients), or cisplatin and radiotherapy (10 patients). Thirteen patients of them were not treated with planned radical cystectomy due to patients' refusal (9 patients) or underlying medical problems (4 patients). Among twenty one patients, 12 patients $(58\%)$ were alive with their preserved bladder, 8 patients died with the disease, 1 patient died of intercurrent disease. The 5 years actuarial survival rates according to CR and PR after MCV chemotherapy and cisplatin chemoradiotherapy were $80\%\;and\;14\%$, respectively (u=0.001). Conclusion : In selected patients with muscle-invading bladder cancer, the bladder preservation could be achieved by MCV chemotherapy and cisplatin chemo-radiotherapy. All patients tolerated well this bladder preservation protoco. The availability of complete TURBT and the responsibility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy were important predictors for bladder preservation and survival. The patients who had not achieved complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy should be immediate radical cystectomy. A randomized prospective trial might be essential to determine more accurate indications between cystectomy or bladder preservation.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2009

Purpose : To evaluate the treatment outcome for patients with locally advanced, unresectable esophageal cancer treated with relatively high dose radiation therapy(RT). Materials and Methods : From January 2000 to December 2008, 32 patients with locally advanced unresectable or medically inoperable esophageal cancer were treated with radiation therapy(RT) with or without concurrent chemotherapy. Ten patients were excluded from analysis because of distant metastasis and drop off. Patient distributions according to AJCC stages II, III IVa were 7(31.8%), 12(54.6%), 3(13.6%) respectively. The locations of tumor were cervical/upper thorax 3 (13.6%), mid thorax 13(59.1%), and lower thorax/abdominal 6(27.3%), respectively. Eleven patients received RT only, and 11 patients received cisplatin based concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT). Median radiation dose was 65 Gy(range 57.6~72 Gy). Results : The median follow-up was 9.1 months(range 1.9~43.8 months). The response rates for complete response, Partial response, stable disease and Persistent disease were 6(27.3%), 11(50.0%), 4(18.2%) and 1(4.5%), respectively. Two patients(9.1%) suffered from esophageal stenosis and stents were inserted. Two patients(9.1%) had Grade 3 radiation pneumonitis and one of them expired due to acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) at 36 days after completion of radiation therapy. The recurrence rate was 11(50.0%). The patterns of recurrence were persistent disease and local progression in 5(22.7%), local recurrence 3(13.7%) and concomitant local and distant recurrence in 3(13.7%). The overall survival(OS) rate was 32.1% at 2 years and 21.4% at 3 years(median 12.0 months). Disease free survival(DFS) rate was 17.3% at 2 and 3 years. All patients who had no dysphagia at diagnosis showed complete response after treatment and 100% OS at 3 years(p=0.0041). The OS for above 64.8 Gy group and 64.8 Gy or below group at 3 years were 60.6% and 9.1%(p=0.1341). The response to treatment was the only significant factor affecting OS(p=0.004). Conclusion : Relatively high dose radiation therapy in unresectable esophageal cancer tended to have a better outcome without increased complication rate. Further study with more patients is warranted to justify improved result.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2101-2107
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• 2012

Treatment responses of $N_0$ stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma were firstly analyzed comprehensively to evaluate long term outcomes of patients and identify prognostic factors. A total of 610 patients with $N_0$ NPC, undergoing definitive radiotherapy to their primary lesion and prophylactic radiation to upper neck, were reviewed retrospectively. Concomitant chemotherapy was administrated to 65 out of the 610. Survival rates of the patients were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Prognostic factors were identified by the Cox regression model. The study revealed the 5-year and 10-year overall, disease-free, disease-specific, local failure-free, regional failure-free, locoregional failure-free and distant metastasis-free survival rates to be 78.7% and 66.8%, 68.8% and 55.8%, 79.9% and 70.4%, 81.2% and 72.5%, 95.8% and 91.8%, 78.3% and 68.5%, 88.5% and 85.5%, respectively. There were 192 patients experiencing failure (31.5%) after radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Of these, local recurrence, regional relapse and distant metastases as the first event of failure occurred in 100 (100/610, 16.4%), 15(15/610, 2.5%) and 52 (52/610, 8.5%), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that T stage was the only independent prognostic factor for patients with $N_0$ NPC (P=0.000). Late T stage (P=0.000), male (P=0.039) and anemia (P=0.007) were independently unfavorable factors predicting disease-free survival. After treatment, satisfactory outcome wasgenerally achieved in patients with $N_0$ NPC. Local recurrence represented the predominant mode of treatment failure, while T stage was the only independent prognostic factor for overall survival. Late T stage, male gender, and anemia independently predicted lower possibility of the disease-free survival.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.323-329
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• 1994

Purpose: In supraglottic cancer, radiation therapy is used to preserve the laryngeal function but combined surgery and radiation therapy is required in advanced stage. The authors Present the results of radiation therapy alone and combined surgery Plus Postoperative radiation therapy for supraglottic cancer. Methods and Materials: A retrospective analysis was done for 43 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx who were treated from Feburary 1982 to December 1991, in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Korea University Hospital. Patient distribution according to the AJCC staging system was as follows: I, 3($7.0\%$); II, 7($16.3\%$); III, 17($39.5\%$); IV, 16($37.2\%$). Patients' age ranged from 30 to 72 years(median 62). Follow up durations were from 21 to 137 months(median 27). Seventeen patients($39.5\%$) were treated by radiation therapy alone with radiation doses of 6840-7380 cGy and 26 patients($60.5\%$) were treated with surgery plus postoperative irradiation with doses of 5820-6660 cGy. Results: Overall five-year survival rate for all stage was $51.8\%$, with $100\%$ for Stage I and II, $47.3\%$ for Stage III, and $29.2\%$ for Stage III. The difference of the survival rate by stage was statistically significant(p=0.0152). Five-year survival rates were $100\%$ for locally confined tumor in the supraglottic larynx, $37.5\%$ for transglottic extension, $26.7\%$ for hypopharynx extension, and only two of 5 patients with both transglottic and hypopharynx extension were alive(p=0.0033). Five-year survival rates by neck node status were as follows: $55.0\%$ for NO, $64.3\%$ for N1, $50.0\%$ for N2, and all 2 of N3 were died of disease. Overall survival rate for radiation therapy alone group was $42.8\%$, and it was $56.7\%$ for surgery plus postoperative radiation therapy group with no statistically significant difference(p=0.5215). In Stage I and II, all Patients survived. In Stage III and IV, 5-year survival rate for radiation therapy alone group was $28.5\%$ and $43.4\%$ for surgery plus postoperative irradiation group(p=0.5103). Local control rate was $58.8\%$(10/17) for radiation therapy alone group and $73.1\%$ (19/26) for surgery plus postoperative irradiation group. Three patients from surgery plus postoperative radiation therapy group developed distant metastasis in lungs. Conclusion: Treatment results of radiation therapy alone was excellent in early stage supraglottic cancer. In advanced stage, even the difference was statistically not significant, the result of postoperative radiation therapy group was superior compared with radiation therapy alone group. Since 1992, concomitant chemoradiotherapy with hyperfractionated radiotherapy is being used to improve the result of the treatment and preserve the laryngeal function in advanced stage supraglottic cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.359-368
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• 2001

Purpose : To determine the long-term results of bladder-preserving approach by transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB), systemic chemotherapy, and radiation therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer Methods and materiaals : From 1991 Jan. through 1994 Dec., 25 patients with muscle invading clinical stage T2 to T4NxM0 bladder cancer were treated with induction by maximal TURB and (arm 1, n=4) three cycles of chemotherapy [MVAC(methotrexate, vincristine, adriamycin, ciplatin)] followed by 64.8 Gy of radiation with concomitant cisplatin, or two cycles of chemotherapy [MCV (methotrexate, ciplatin, vincristine)] after irradiation with concomitant cisplatin (arm 2, n=14), or concurrent chemoradiation only (arm 3, n=7). Tumor response was scored as a clinical complete response (CR) when the cystoscopic tumor-site biopsy and urine cytology results were negative. Those with less than a CR underwent cystectomy. The median follow-up of all patients was 70 months. Resulst : Most treatment toxicities were mild to moderate. Grade 3 acute hematologic toxicity and chronic cystitis were observed in only 1 and 2 patients, respectively. Overall 5 year survival was $67.3\%$. Complete remission rate was $80\%$ (20/25). Sixty-three percent of all survivors retained their bladders. In multivariate analysis, prognostic factors that significantly affect survival were T-stage (p=0.013) and Complete remission (p=0.002). Conclusion : Combined modality therapy with TURB, chemotherapy, and radiation has a $67.3\%$ overall 5 year survival rate. This result is similar to cystectomy-based studies for patients of similar clinical stages.