• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
• /
• 제9권1호
• /
• pp.41-53
• /
• 2010

An existing risk diagnosing methodology (RDM) diagnoses corporate risk for product-innovation projects. However, it cannot evaluate and compare the risk levels of multiple alternatives in the product development stage. This paper proposes a modified risk diagnosis method to fill the gap of risk evaluation in selections of innovative product alternatives and the application of the method will be also illustrated by a case problem on alternative selections in electrical dimmer designs. With RDM as the foundation, a modified RDM (MRDM) is proposed to deal with the problem of selecting innovative project alternatives during the early stages of product development. The Bayesian network; a probabilistic graphical model, is adopted to support the risk pre-assessment stage in the MRDM. The MRDM is proposed by incorporating the risk pre-assessment stage into the foundation. By evaluating the engineering design risks in two electrical dimmer switches, an application of the MRDM in product innovation development is successfully exemplified. This paper strengthens the existing methodology for RDM in innovative product development projects to accommodate innovative alternatives. It is advantageous for companies to identify and measure the risks associated in product development so as to plan for appropriate risk mitigation strategies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제17권2호
• /
• pp.759-765
• /
• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer of women in Pakistan with the majority presenting with stage III or IV lesionsat initial diagnosis. Patient and health system related factors are well known determinants of delay in presentation and diagnosis. Additionally, breast cancer being a heterogeneous disease, the various molecular subtypes featuring different aggressiveness also need to be considered. The present study evaluated the association of stage at initial diagnosis of breast cancer with these two factors in local women at a tertiary level health care facility in Lahore, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: Patient and tumor features were recorded separately during diagnostic workup in Breast Clinics at INMOL and at Services Hospital, Lahore. Data were entered in MS Excel and analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-Square test. Results: Among the 261 patients, 64% were staged as late breast cancer (LBC), the mean age was 46.8 with standard deviation of 13 years. Some 92% had invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), 61% had luminal types (LT) of non-aggressive tumor while 39% had the non-luminal types (NLT) of of HER2-enriched or basal aggressive tumors. While 70% of patients presented within one year of symptomatic disease (early report group "ERG"), 30% reported after a mean delay of 4 years with a standard deviation of 3.75 years. The stage distribution among ERG patients was not statistically different from those reporting late (P=0.123). Statistically larger proportion of patients with NLT presented as LBC as compared to the LT (P =0.034). Among the ERG, statistically different stage distribution of disease was observed for the NLT versus LT (P=0.047). Among those presenting late, this difference was insignificant (P=0.416). Conclusions: Breast cancer is a distinct disease in Pakistan with a high frequency of aggressive molecular types affecting younger women, with the majority presenting as LBC. Association of NLT with higher stage at diagnosis is statistically significant whereas time delay in diagnosis is not. Further research is required to define the risk profile and features in local patients. The burden of LBC can be reduced by promoting breast health awareness and by establishing easily accessible dedicated breast care set ups in the hospitals.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• 제41권1호
• /
• pp.26-35
• /
• 1994

연구배경 : 기관지 폐포암의 발생빈도가 타 원발성 폐암의 발생속도보다 빠르게 증가하고 있는 추세이고 조기진단 및 이에 따른 적절한 수술적 치료가 이루어진 경우 뛰어난 예후를 기대할 수 있다. 그러나 국내에 기관지 폐포암에 대한 보고가 적고 무엇보다도 이 암의 임상양상이나 방사선학적 소견이 우리 주변의 흔한 다른 폐질환과 유사한 양상을 나타내 감별진단이 어려우므로 적절한 수술시기를 놓칠 수 있어 이에 저자들은 기관지 폐포암 환자의 임상적 양상, 방사선학적 소견, 치료 및 그에 따른 예후등을 분석해 보고자 하였다. 방법 : 5년간 발생한 기관지 폐포암 환자 24예를 대상으로 환자의 성별, 연령분포, 주 증세 발현시기, 흡연력, 선행 폐질환의 유무 등을 조사하였고 내원당시 환자의 자각증상 및 이학적 소견을 분석하고 치료를 받은 환자에 있어 예후를 조사하였으며 각각의 방사선학적 소견에 따른 예후를 후향적으로 분석해 보았다. 결과: 1) 5년간 진단받은 기관지 24예는 폐포함 24예는 동 기간 발생한 원발성 폐암의 1.3%였다. 2) 대상 환자의 남녀비는 1:1.4이였고 50대가 13예(54.1%)로 빈도가 가장 높았다. 대상 환자중 1~3개월전 주 증세가 발현한 경우가 8예(33.3%)로 가장 많았고 주 증세로 기침이 15예(65%), 객담 및 흉통이 각각 7예(29.2%)이였다. 3) 방사선학적소견상 고립성 결절형이 13예(54.2%)로 가장 많은 빈도를 보였고 다발성 결절형 6예(25%), 침윤성 4예(16.7%), 공동을 동반한 결절형 1예(4%)의 순이였다. 4) 기관지 폐포암의 진단은 미세침 폐생검을 통해 14예(58.3%), 객담 세포검사를 통해 11예(45.8%)에서 확진을 얻었으며 경기관지 폐생검으로 7예(29.2%), 개흉 폐생검으로 2예에서 확진을 얻었다. 5) 진단시 환자들의 병기는 stage IIIb 이상이 14예(58.3%)로 수술적 치료를 할 수 없는 경우가 대부분이었다. 6) 대상 환자중 stage IIIa이하인 7예와 stage IV 1예, 총 8예에서 폐절제술, 폐엽절제술, 설절제술등의 수술적 치료를 시행하였다. 이 중 타 질환으로 사망한 1예를 제외하고 4예에서 최고 61개월간 재발의 증거 없이 생존하고 있으며 4예 모두 고립성 결절형이거나 국소적인 병변을 가진 stage I, II의 환자들이였다. 방사선학적 소견에 따른 예후를 비교해 보았을 때 고립성 결절형인 경우 6개월, 12개월 누적 생존율이 각각 66.6%, 58.3%로 66.6%, 1.67%의 다발성 결정형인 경우 보다 뛰어난 예후를 보임을 알 수 있었다. 결론 : 이상의 결과로 미루어 보아 기관지 폐포암의 치료를 위해서는 임상의사의 적극적인 노력과 환자의 협조로 기관지 폐포암을 조기발견하여 가능한한 초기에 수술을 시행하여야 한다고 사료되며 특히 병변이 고립성 결절형이거나 국소적일 경우 폐절제술 및 폐엽절제술 등의 수술적 치료를 시행하여야 좋은 예후를 기대할 수 있으리라 사료된다.

• 정신신체의학
• /
• 제22권1호
• /
• pp.13-22
• /
• 2014

연구목적 2001년 이후로 유방암은 한국에서 가장 흔한 여성 암이 되었다. 진행 유방암으로 진단받을 고위험군을 확인하는 것은 유방암 사망률을 줄이기 위한 효과적인 방법 중 하나라고 할 수 있다. 본 연구의 목적은 유방암을 진단 받은 시점에서 진행 유방암과 연관된 사회인구학적, 건강행위 건강특성, 임상적 그리고 정신사회적 요인을 조사하며, 진행 유방암을 예측할 수 있는 요인을 밝히는 데 있다. 방법 경북대학교 병원에서 처음으로 유방암을 진단받고, 수술을 시행한 후 '유방암 환자들을 위한 스트레스 클리닉'에 자문 의뢰되어 정신의학적 면담이 시행된 219명의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. 기본 사회인구학적 자료를 비롯하여, 자가진단 및 유방촬영술의 규칙적 시행여부, 진단 당시의 병기, 유방암 발견 경위 등을 조사하였다. 정신사회적 요인으로는 경제적 및 가족적 부담, 부부관계기능, 가족관계기능 정도 등을 반구조화된 면담을 통해 파악하였다. 교차분석과 로지스틱 회귀분석으로 조기 유방암 환자군과 진행 유방암 환자군 간에 변수를 비교하고 진행 유방암 환자군을 예측할 수 있는 요인을 확인하였다. 결과 유방암을 진단받은 시점에서 120명(54.8%)이 진행 유방암으로 확인이 되었다. 단변량분석을 통하여 조기 유방암을 진단받은 환자군과 진행 유방암을 진단받은 환자군 사이에 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 난 변수는 다음과 같았다. 건강행위 및 특성 변수로는 자가 검진행위(p<0.000), 매년 유방촬영술 시행여부(p<0.000)이었다. 암 관련 임상적 특징으로는 종양 발견경위(p<0.000), 첫 증상의 양상(p<0.000), 첫 증상 발견부터 치료까지 소요된 기간(p<0.000)이었다. 정신사회적 요인으로는 부부관계기능(p<0.000)과 가족관계기능(p=0.000), 과도한 경제적 가족적 부담(p=0.018)이었다. 로지스틱회귀분석을 통하여 매년 비진행 유방암에 영향을 미치는 독립인자로는 매년 유방암 선별을 위해서 실시하는 유방촬영술을 비정기적으로 시행하거나(OR=7.431 ; 95% CI 2.407-22.944), 전혀 시행하지 않는 경우(OR=25.299 ; 95% CI 7.855-81.482)였으며 정신사회적 요인으로는 기능 부전적 부부관계(OR=4.772 ; 95% CI 2.244-10.145)가 유일했다. 결론 본 연구를 통하여 진행 유방암 진단의 위험인자로 널리 알려진 비정기적 검진을 재확인하였으며, 이외에도 정신사회적 요인으로서 '비기능적 부부관계기능'을 밝혀냈다. 이러한 결과는 유방암을 조기에 진단하는데 전통적으로 인정되어 왔던 사회인구학적, 임상적 요인 이외에도 정신사회적 요인이 중요한 영역임을 시사한다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제17권11호
• /
• pp.4837-4844
• /
• 2016

Objectives: To describe the survival experience of cervix cancer patients in a screened rural population in India. Methods: Included 558 cervical cancer patients diagnosed in 2000-2013 in a cohort of 100,258 women invited for screening during 2000-2003. The primary end point was death from cervical cancer. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate cumulative observed survival and Cox proportional hazards regression to assess the effect of patient characteristics on survival after diagnosis. Results: Of the 558 cases included, 143 (26%) and 114 (20%) were diagnosed in stages IA and IB respectively; 252 (45.2%) were dead, and 306 (54.8%) were alive at the last follow-up. The overall 5-year observed survival was 60.5%. The 5-year survival of stage IA patients was 95.1% and 5.3% for stage IV patients. All surgically treated stage IA patients, 94.1% of stage IB patients receiving intracavitary radiotherapy, 62% of stage IIB, 49% of stage III and 25% of stage IV patients receiving radiotherapy survived for 5 years. Conclusion: Higher 5-year survival in our study than elsewhere in India is due to the high proportion of early stage cancers detected by screening combined with adequate treatment, resulting into a favourable prognosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제13권6호
• /
• pp.2985-2990
• /
• 2012

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the main malignant tumor of the liver, is very common and highly lethal. The aim of this study was to determine its clinicopathologic characteristics and risk factors in Turkey. Materials and methods: In this study, patients who were diagnosed as suffering from HCC in the period between August 2004 and December 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. Results: A total of 98 patients were included, with a median age 61 (range: 16 to 82). Seventy nine (80.6%) were male 59 (60.2%) were infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 15 (15.3%) with HCV, another 15 (15.3%) being alcohol abusers. Seventy two (73.5%) were at advanced stage and 54 (55.1%) had elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Surgery, chemoembolization, systemic chemotherapy and application of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib were the major treatment options. Conclusions: According to our findings HCC is mostly diagnosed in advanced stage and age, being five times more common in males than females. Main risk factors of HCC are HBV infection, HCV infection and alcohol abuse. Elevation in AFP may facilitate early diagnosis of HCC in high risk groups.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권7호
• /
• pp.2871-2877
• /
• 2015

Background: Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a malignant neoplasm that most commonly occurs in the urinary bladder. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic features, recurrence and progression in patients with bladder urothelial cancer. Materials and Methods: The medical records of patients diagnosed with UC in the state pathology laboratory between January 2006 and July 2014 were retrospectively included. Carcinomas were categorized according to age, gender, histologic grade, tumor configuration, pathologic staging, recurrence status, and progression. Results: A total of 125 (113 men, 12 women) patients were examined. The mean age was 65.9 years and the male-to-female urothelial cancer incidence ratio was 9.4:1. Low-grade UCs were observed in 85 (68%) and high-grade in 40 (32%). A papillary tumor pattern was observed in 67.2% of the UCs. Cases were classified with the following pathological grades: 34 (27.2%) cases of pTa, 70 (56%) of pT1, and 21 (16.8%) of pT2. Recurrence occurred in 27 (21.6%) patients. Ten progressed to a higher stage (pT1 to pT2), and three cases to higher grade (low to high). We also analyzed the results separately for 70 (56%) patients 65 years of age and older. Conclusions: With early detection and diagnosis of precursor lesions in older patients, by methods such as standard urologic evaluation, urinary cytology, ultrasound scanning and contrast urography, and cystoscopy, in addition to coordinated efforts between pathologists and urologists, early diagnosis may reduce the morbidity and mortality of patients with urothelial carcinoma.

• Journal of Multimedia Information System
• /
• 제9권1호
• /
• pp.21-32
• /
• 2022

Early-stage diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) from Cognitively Normal (CN) patients is crucial because treatment at an early stage of AD can prevent further progress in the AD's severity in the future. Recently, computer-aided diagnosis using magnetic resonance image (MRI) has shown better performance in the classification of AD. However, these methods use a traditional machine learning algorithm that requires supervision and uses a combination of many complicated processes. In recent research, the performance of deep neural networks has outperformed the traditional machine learning algorithms. The ability to learn from the data and extract features on its own makes the neural networks less prone to errors. In this paper, a dense neural network is designed for binary classification of Alzheimer's disease. To create a classifier with better results, we studied result of different activation functions in the prediction. We obtained results from 5-folds validations with combinations of different activation functions and compared with each other, and the one with the best validation score is used to classify the test data. In this experiment, features used to train the model are obtained from the ADNI database after processing them using FreeSurfer software. For 5-folds validation, two groups: AD and CN are classified. The proposed DNN obtained better accuracy than the traditional machine learning algorithms and the compared previous studies for AD vs. CN, AD vs. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and MCI vs. CN classifications, respectively. This neural network is robust and better.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• 제51권2호
• /
• pp.209-216
• /
• 2021

Sjögren syndrome is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands, predominantly the parotid and lacrimal glands, thereby resulting in oral and ocular dryness. It has been reported to occur most frequently in women between 40 and 50 years of age. Sjögren syndrome has an insidious onset, is slowly progressive, and presents a wide range of clinical manifestations, leading to delays or challenges in the diagnosis. Early diagnosis of this condition is essential to prevent the associated complications that affect patients' quality of life. This report presents 3 cases of Sjögren syndrome in female patients aged between 40 and 75 years who presented with complaints of persistent dry mouth and burning sensation. The cases highlight the diagnostic value of 3-dimensional cone-beam computed tomographic sialography in the detection of salivary gland pathologies at an early stage.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권8호
• /
• pp.3567-3570
• /
• 2014

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in men and the third most common cancer in woman in Thailand. This retrospective study was designed to assess the prevalence, clinical manifestations, treatment outcomes and prognosis of HCC in the central region of Thailand. Materials and Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed all HCC patients aged more than 15 years old in Thammasat university hospital (TUH) during the period from January 2007 to December 2012. Clinical information, biochemical tests and radiologic findings were collected from review of medical records. Results: There were 308 patients with HCC, which accounted for the prevalence of 5.19% of all cancers diagnosed in TUH during the study period. Of these, 125 (40.5%) had complete information retrievable from their medical records and met the inclusion criteria, 99 (79.2%) were males. The mean age was 57.4 years. A quarter of HCC patients in this study presented without any symptom before diagnosis. The common clinical presentations in the remaining patients were hepatomegaly 64/125 (51.2%), abdominal pain 56/125 (44.8%) and ascites 16/125 (20.8%). Cirrhosis was seen in almost all patients (92.8%). The most common causes of HCC in this study were chronic hepatitis B (49.6%) and C (19.2%). Based on Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging, 75.4% presented at intermediate or late stage. Patients receiving curative therapy with either surgical treatment or radiofrequency ablation had significantly longer survival time after the HCC diagnosis than the palliative therapy group (11.0 months vs 4.0 months, p value= 0.004). The mean survival time after the HCC diagnosis was 10.5 months. Conclusions: The common causes of HCC in central region of Thailand were chronic hepatitis B and C. Surgical therapy or RFA seemed to provide better outcomes than other treatments but only in patients with early stage lesions. Most of the patients in this study presented with advanced diseases and had grave prognosis. Appropriate screening patients at risk for HCC might be an appropriate way to achieve early diagnosis and improve the treatment outcome.