• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.433-440
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• 1998

Purpose : Although small ceil lung cancer (SCLC) has high response rate to chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT), the prognosis is dismal. The authors evaluated survival and failure patterns according to the prognostic factors in SCLC patients who had thoracic radiation therapy with chemotherapy. Materials and Methods : One hundred and twenty nine patients with SCLC had received thoracic radiation therapy from August 1985 to December 1990. Seventy-seven accessible patients were evaluated retrospectively among 87 patients who completed RT. Median follow-up period was 14 months (2-87months). Results : The two years survival rate was 13$\%$ with a median survival time of 14 months. The two year survival rates of limited disease and extensive disease were 20$\%$ and 8$\%$, respectively, with median survival time of 14 months and 9 months, respectively. Twenty two patients (88$\%$) of limited disease showed complete response (CR) and 3 patients (12$\%$) did partial response (PR). The two year survival rates on CR and PR groups were 24$\%$ and 0$\%$, with median survival times of 14 months and 5 months. respectively (p=0.005). No patients with serum sodium were lower than 135 mmol/L survived 2years and their median survival time was 7 months (p=0.002). Patients whose alkaline phophatase lower than 130 IU/L showed 26$\%$ of 2 year survival rate and showed median survival time of 14 months and those with alkaline phosphatase higher than 130 IU/L showed no 2 year survival and median survival time of 5 the months, respectively (p=0.019). No statistical differences were found according to the age, sex, and performance status. Among the patients with extensive disease, two rear survivals according to the metastatic sites were 14$\%$, 0$\%$, and 7$\%$ in brain, liver, and other metastatic sites, respectively, with median survival time of 9 months, 9 months, and 8 months, respectively (p>0.05). Two year survivals on CR group and PR group were 15$\%$ and 4$\%$, respectively, with a median survival time of 11 months and 7 months, respectively (p=0.01). Conclusion : For SCLC, complete response after chemoradiotherapy was the most significant prognostic tactor. To achieve this goal. there should be further investigation about hyperfractionation, dose escalation, and compatible chemo-radiation schedule such as concurrent chemo-radiation and early radiation therapy with chemotherapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2018

Purpose: To evaluate the treatment outcomes of adjuvant external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and vaginal brachytherapy (VB) following radical hysterectomy in cervical cancer patients with involved vaginal resection margin (VRM). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 21 patients treated with postoperative EBRT and VB for positive VRM FIGO stage IB-IIA cervical cancer between 2003 and 2015. Concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy was administered to all patients. Results: The median whole pelvis EBRT dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 45 to 50.4 Gy). In the VB, the median dose per fraction, number of fractions, and total dose delivered were: 4 Gy (range, 3.0 to 4.0 Gy), 4 fractions (range, 3 to 5 fractions), and 16 Gy (range, 12 to 20 Gy), respectively. At a median follow-up of 46 months (range, 9 to 122 months), local recurrence was observed in 2 patients, and distant metastasis was present in 7 patients. All patients with local recurrence subsequently developed distant metastases. The 5-year local control, disease-free survival, and overall survival rates were 89.1%, 65.9%, and 62.9%, respectively. Of the 21 patients, 7 patients (33.3%) reported grade 2 acute toxicity; however, there were no grade 3 or higher acute adverse events. Grade 1-2 late toxicities were observed in 8 patients. Late grade 3 urinary toxicity was reported in 1 patient. Conclusions: Adjuvant EBRT and VB showed excellent local control and low toxicity in cervical cancer patients with positive VRM. Although limited by its retrospective nature, the findings from our study provide evidence supporting the use of additional VB in pathologically involved VRM.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.243-251
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• 2011

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on initial positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and investigate the clinical value of SUVmax for early detection of locoregional recurrent disease after postoperative radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Materials and Methods: A total of 100 patients with locally advanced HNSCC received primary tumor excision and neck dissection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. The MTV and SUVmax were measured from primary sites and neck nodes. The prognostic value of MTV and SUVmax were assessed using initial staging PET/CT (study A). Follow-up PET/CT scan available after postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy were evaluated for the SUVmax value and correlated with locoregional recurrence (study B). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to define a threshold value of SUVmax with the highest accuracy for recurrent disease assessment. Results: High MTV (>41 mL) is negative prognostic factor for disease free survival (p = 0.041). Postradiation SUVmax was significantly correlated with locoregional recurrence (hazard ratio, 1.812; 95% confidence interval, 1.361 to 2.413; P < 0.001). A cutoff value of 5.38 from follow-up PET/CT was identified as having maximal accuracy for detecting locoregional recurrence by ROC analysis. Conclusion: MTV at staging work-up was significantly associated with disease free survival. The SUVmax value from follow-up PET/CT showed high diagnostic accuracy for the detection of locoregional recurrence in postoperatively irradiated HNSCC.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.11-15
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• 2018

Background/Objectives: The efficacy of radiotherapy alone versus chemoradiotherapy has been studied in patients with T2N0M0 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Materials & Methods: Thirty nine patients with newly diagnosed T2N0M0 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were treated with either radiotherapy(RT group, 66-70Gy) or chemoradiotherapy(CRT group, cisplatin based concurrent chemoradiation with or without 2 cycles induction chemotherapy including cisplatin, $5-FU{\pm}$ docetaxel / radiation therapy same with above mentioned). The mean follow-up was 73.5 months. Results: The overall survival (OS), disease specific survival (DSS), disease free survival (DFS), and larynx preservation survival (LPS) at 5 years were 70%, 79%, 67%, and 71%. The complete response rate was 82.4% in RT group, and was 95.5% in CRT group. OS (57% vs 80%), DSS (69% vs 86%), DFS (52% vs 77%), and LPS (63% vs 77%) at 5 years were higher in CRT group than RT group, but it was not statistically significant. In subsite analysis, CRT group tends to improve DFS, compared to RT group, in glottic cancer (p=0.06). The toxicities were tolerable and no fatal case was observed in both groups. Conclusion: Chemoradiotherapy is effective as primary therapy for T2 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and showed manageable treatment induced toxicity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.351-357
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• 2004

Background : Paclitaxel is highly beneficial anticancer drug for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and has shown remarkable radiosensitizing effect in vitro. We evaluated whether concurrent chemoradiation therapy with weekly paclitaxel (60 $mg/m^2$) could be tolerated and effective in the treatment of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods : Twenty-two stage III (IIIA:6, IIIB:16) NSCLC patients were treated with weekly administration of paclitaxel (60 $mg/m^2$) on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36 in addition to concurrent radiation therapy of 54 Gy. After the initial phase of concurrent chemoradiation, patients received additional two cycles of consolidation chemotherapy with paclitaxel (175 $mg/m^2$)/cisplatin (75 $mg/m^2$) or paclitaxel (175 $mg/m^2$)/carboplatin (6AUC) every 3 weeks. Results : Overall response rate was 81.8% (18/22) with 9.1% (2/22) of complete response and 72.7% (16/22) of partial response rate. Two patients (9.1%) died of chemoradiation-induced pneumonitis after completion of therapy. In total, grade 3 toxicities included pneumonitis (22.7%), esophagitis (22.7%), neuropathy (13.6%), and neutropenia (13.6%). The median survival time was 15 months and 2-year overall survival were 31.8%. Conclusion : Concurrent chemoradiation therapy with weekly paclitaxel in locally advanced NSCLC showed good local response, but survival rate was not completely satisfactory due to potentially fatal chemoradiation-induced pneumonitis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1996

Purpose: We tried to evaluate the role of conventional radiotherapy alone or with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in oropharyngeal cancer in terms of survival rates and to identify prognostic factors affecting survival by retrospective analysis. Materials and Methods: Forty seven patients of oropharyngeal cancer were treated by conventional radiotherapy in our hospital from Nov. 1985 to APr. 1993. Of these, twenty six patients were treated by conventional radio-therapy alone, and 21 patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy of mostly two or more cycles of cisplatin and pepleomycin. The Patient characteristics of radiotherapy alone group and neoadjuvant chemotherapy group were not different generally. Radiotherapy was performed by 6MV-LINAC and the total radiation doses of Primary tumors were 54.0-79.2 Gy and cervical lymph nodes were 55.8-90.0 Gy with a fraction size of 1.8 or 2.0 Gy per day. The range of follow-up periods was 3-102 months and median was 20 months. The range of a9e was 33-79 years old and median was 58 years old. Results : Overall 3-year actuarial survival rate (3YSR) of all patients was $39\%$. The 3YSRS of stage I (n=5), II (n=11), III (n=12) and IV (n=19) were 60, 55, 33 and $32\%$, respectively The 3YSRS of Tl+2, T3+4 and No, N+ were 55, $18\%$ (p=0.005) and 43, $36\%$ (p>0.1), respectively. There was no difference in 3YSRS between radiotherapy alone group and neoadjuvant chemotherapy group (38 vs $43\%$, p>0.1). According to the original site of primary tumor, the 3YSRS of tonsil (n=32), base of tongue (n=8), soft palate or uvula (n=6) and pharyngeal wall (n=1) were 36 38, 67 and $0\%$, respectively The Patients of soft palate or uvular cancer had longer survival than other primaries but the difference was not significant statistically (p>0.1). Of 32 patients of tonsillar cancer, 22 Patients who had primary extension to adjacent tissue showed inferior survival rate to the ones who had not Primary extension, but the difference was marginally significant statistically (24 vs $60\%$, p=0.08). On Cox multivariate analysis in entire patients with variables of age, T stage, N stage, total duration of radiotherapy, the site of primary tumor and the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, only T stage was a significant Prognostic factor affecting 3YSR. Conclusion : The difference of 3YASRS of conventional radiotherapy alone group and neoadjuvant chemotherapy group was not significant statistically. These treatments could be effective in oropharyngeal cancer of early stage, especially such as soft palate, uvular or tonsillar cancer which did not extend to adjacent tissue. But in order to improve the survival of patients of most advanced oropharyngeal cancer, other altered fractionated radiotherapy such as hyperfractionation rather than conventional fractionation or multi-modal approach combining radiotherapy and accessible surgery or concurrent chemotherapy might be beneficial.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.195-203
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• 2008

Purpose: To investigate the treatment outcome and failure patterns after definitive chemoradiation therapy in locally advanced, unresectable esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods: From February 1994 to December 2002, 168 patients with locally advanced unresectable or medically inoperable esophageal cancer were treated by definitive chemoradiation therapy. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) ($42{\sim}46\;Gy$) was delivered to the region encompassing the primary tumor and involved lymph nodes, while the supraclavicular fossa and celiac area were included in the treatment area as a function of disease location. The administered cone-down radiation dose to the gross tumor went up to $54{\sim}66\;Gy$, while the fraction size of the EBRT was 1.8-2.0 Gy/fraction qd or 1.2 Gy/fraction bid. An optional high dose rate (HDR) intraluminal brachytherapy (BT) boost was also administered (Ir-192, $9{\sim}12\;Gy/3{\sim}4\;fx$). Two cycles of concurrent FP chemotherapy (5-FU $1,000\;mg/m^2$/day, days $2{\sim}6$, $30{\sim}34$, cisplatin $60\;mg/m^2$/day, days 1, 29) were delivered during radiotherapy with the addition of two more cycles. Results: One hundred sixty patients were analyzable for this review [median follow-up time: 10 months (range $1{\sim}149$ months)). The number of patients within AJCC stages I, II, III, and IV was 5 (3.1%), 38 (23.8%), 68 (42.5%), and 49 (30.6%), respectively. A HDR intraluminal BT was performed in 26 patients. The 160 patients had a median EBRT radiation dose of 59.4 Gy (range $44.4{\sim}66$) and a total radiation dose, including BT, of 60 Gy (range $44.4{\sim}72$), while 144 patients received a dose higher than 40 Gy. Despite the treatment, the disease recurrence rate was 101/160 (63.1%). Of these, the patterns of recurrence were local in 20 patients (12.5%), persistent disease and local progression in 61 (38.1%), distant metastasis in 15 (9.4%), and concomitant local and distant failure in 5 (3.1%). The overall survival rate was 31.8% at 2 years and 14.2% at 5 years (median 11.1 months). Disease-free survival was 29.0% at 2 years and 22.7% at 5 years (median 10.4 months). The response to treatment and N-stage were significant factors affecting overall survival. In addition, total radiation dose (${\geq}50\;Gy$ vs. < 50 Gy), BT and fractionation scheme (qd. vs. bid.) were not significant factors for overall survival and disease-free survival. Conclusion: Survival outcome after definitive chemoradiation therapy in unresectable esophageal cancer was comparable to those of other series. The main failure pattern was local recurrence. Survival rate did not improve with increased radiation dose over 50 Gy or the use of brachytherapy or hyperfractionation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.689-694
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• 2014

We report a female small cell lung cancer patient in the extensive stage(T3N3Mx). After 6 cycles of chemotherapy combined radiation therapy, she received inpatient Korean medical care including herbal medicine, acupuncture therapy and concurrent western oral medications of opioid analgesics and anti-anxiety agent. The chief complaint was right side thoracic wall pain which had started after chemotherapy and was not effectively controlled by analgesics. For this condition, we treated her with 2Hz of constant electrical stimulation on Jiaji (Ex-B2) points T5-T7 laterally (right) using three needles for 20 minutes once a day for 9 days. With every session of electrical acupuncture treatment, thoracic pain decreased acutely. Korean medicine treatments including Jiaji (Ex-B2) point stimulation might be tried for lung cancer patients with uncontrolled thoracic pain at least for the acute analgesic effect.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.621-626
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• 2011

Purpose: Implant-based breast reconstruction has multiple advantages such as decreased morbidity, shorter operative time and faster recovery. However, postoperative infection with tissue expander increases medical cost and causes a delay in concurrent antineoplastic treatment. To reduce tissue expander infection, it is important to identify related risk factors and minimize them when possible. Methods: A retrospective review of patient records in a single breast cancer center was performed. Eighty-six tissue expanders were placed in 80 women for postmastectomy breast reconstruction. Variables including patients'age, body mass index (BMI), preoperative breast volume, operation time, drain indwelling time, postoperative seroma/hematoma formation, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy were evaluated. Infection was defined as the status that shows any symptom of local inflammation and identification of pathogens. Representative values were compared through Student's t-test and univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: We examined 86 postmastectomy tissueexpanders which were placed between June 2004 and April 2010. Seven cases of tissue expander infection (8.1%) were identified. The infected tissue expander was removed in three of the cases. The relationship between BMI, and preoperative breast volume and that between infection and non-infection groups were significant ($p$ <0.05). Univariate analysis showed significant association between BMI ($p$=0.023) and preoperative breast volume ($p$=0.037). Multivariate analysis revealed that BMI and preoperative breast volume were independent variables regarding tissue expander infection. Conclusion: Certain characteristics of implant-based breast reconstruction patients increase infection rate of tissue expander. These risk factors should be monitored and evaluated before surgeries for more successful outcome.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4857-4860
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• 2014

Background: Colorectal cancer is common in Iran. However our knowledge about survival of rectal cancer in our province is low. The aim of this study is to evaluate this question. Materials and Methods: Patients with documented pathology of adenocarcinoma of the rectum and rectosigmoid junction referred to our center from September 2004 to September 2012 were enrolled in this study. Metastatic and recurrent patients were excluded. A questionnaire including clinicopathologic parameters, quality and sequence of treatment modalities was filled in for each patient. Patients treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy were divided into standard and non-standard treatment groups, according to the sequence of treatment. Results: One hundred and nineteen patients were evaluated. Mean age was 60.8 year. The median overall survival was 62 months and five year survival was 55%. TNM staging system was not possible due to (Nx) in 21 (17.6%) patients. The others were in stage I, 20 patients (16.8%), II, 35 (29%.5) and III, 43(36.1%). According to our definition only 25 patients (21%) had been treated with standard treatment and 79% had not received it. A five year survival in patients with standard treatment was 85% and in the non-standard group it was 52%.Age, sex, stage and grade of tumor did not show any significant relation to survival. Conclusions: Our study showed a five year survival of rectal cancer in our patients was about 10% lower than the rate which is reported for developed countries. Preoperative concurrent chemoradiation significantly improved local control and even overall survival.